Alexandra Ride: Maximum Rides Again
by Fandomsrule10
Summary: This may start off like the everyday story, but trust me, we are not alone! We aren't the only ones out there; there ARE others. Just- remember this, read on- you become part of the story. This is your last chance to walk away and continue with your safe, normal lives. Fly with me, and you're in danger. If you choose to stay, don't say I didn't warn you. Your last warning is here..
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer::::::-)) I AN OLY GOING TO SAY THIS ONCE! I DO NOT OWN MAXIMUM RIDE! ONLY THE PLOT! Warning!  
This may start off like the normal everyday story, but trust me, we are not alone! Me and my family aren't the only ones out there; there ARE others. Just… remember this, flip this page, and you become part of the story. This is your last chance to walk away and continue with your safe, normal lives. Come with me, fly with me, and you're in danger. If you choose to stay, don't let anyone stop you from finishing this. Don't put it down. Your choice! Good luck!  
-Alexandra and my family. 


	2. Chapter 2

Oh good! You've chosen to leave your normal, boring, everyday life for danger and freedom. Yes, you sitting there, leafing through this book. Now, I've never done this before, so, just, bare with me; okay? My name is Alexandra Ride or Alex, as I prefer; daughter of Maximum and Fang Ride. I have strawberry blonde with brown highlights caused by the sun. I don't cut my hair a lot. The only time I cut it is when it won't stop getting in my eyes. Some idiot had this bright idea to get swing bangs with my hair, so now my hair is swung across my right eye, and down a bit past my knees. I'm about to whack off these damn swing bangs. I also have these light brown eyes. I like to wear black, but I'm not gothic or emo, just… really, really cool. My family and I have had to move a hell of a lot. It's all because of these dumb-ass Erasers!  
Those stupid Erasers are always looking for us. Those stupid Erasers always ruin everything! And no, I am not talking about the things at the end of a pencil. Erasers are creatures; half human, half lupine (wolf). They suck; if it weren't for them, I wouldn't have to always be on the run. Erasers have been trying to kill my family, my parents, and I ever since, and even before, I was born. I've learned how to fight and defend; without it, I'm dog meat… literally.  
It starts off like I'm in a hospital, only with labs, and wires, and test tubes. I'm running away, out of that prison, that torture chamber; people are following me, with guns and tasers. "Great! Just great!" I thought, "I greet them with kicks and punches and blood, while they greet me with guns and tasers." I finally get out and run into a field with dead, dry grass up to my neck. "Is that a clearing?... Oh god no! Not a clearing, a cliff." It looked like a 200 foot drop. "Splat! Dead if I jump. Okay, okay, Alex, options, come on options! Either go back to that torture on physical and mental levels, or jump? I'm gonna choose… the cliff." So that's what I did, or more fell than jumped. As I'm free falling I feel a rush of relief flow through my blood. I look back to see looks of anger and confusion, as I unfurl my 15 foot wingspan of these golden and pastel brown wings.  
"Fu-! Ah!" I yelled hissing in pain. It's very uncomfortable to drop off a cliff and be falling at about 70 miles per hour, then open your wings right before you hit the bottom. Once recovered from their daze, the people chasing me lock their guns on me.

I wake up in a cold sweat as my mom walks in, letting a crack of light shine on my wide-eyed face.  
"Morning," said Max, regarding me calmly. "You had that dream again, didn't you?" "Yeah, I just… -sigh-… I'm fed up with not knowing; not understanding."  
She gave a half laugh, "Trust me, I know how you feel. Same thing happened to me." Max gave a slight shudder. I knew what happened and what pain that memory held back when it was in motion and still holds. She brightened a bit and said, "Come on, let's go get breakfast."  
"Okay Max," I stopped, half out of my bed and sniffed the air. "Did Fang cook breakfast? I don't smell smoke, or anything burning." I got up and got dressed into my stuff for school. We've had to move about 5 times… per year, at best. All I can say is spotty education. We'd been in this house for about 6 months. New record! But it's scary, I can't help but feel like something bad is going to happen, and really really soon.  
She gave a sardonic laugh, "Hardy-har-har! I'll remember that next time you haven't eaten anything in three days!" Well, that wouldn't be a first time that happened to me. I gave her a small smirk as we left my room.  
I love my mom, really do, but Max, she just full out sucks at cooking. As we walked into the kitchen Fang sent Max a raised eyebrow. It doesn't take Einstein and his sidekick to know that he was asking about my dream. My dad was making me my omelet and it almost caught on fire by the time he turned back to it. Okay, today's breakfast: charcoal cheese omelet. 


	3. Chapter 3

Let's pause here, shall we? Before you meet my family, I'll tell you about them, our ages, height, looks, and… other things. While some people may call us freaks, freaks-of-nature, supernatural, miracles, or whatever they might call us, I prefer the term 'Avian American.' We're 2% bird and 98% human. My parents grew up in a lab, a prison if you must, called the School. You can see why we aren't fond of going to school. Heh- so, yeah! I've been inside the School. I can't even explain what they did to me, to my brothers, my friend, my cousins, to Iggy, to the flock. It was stuff so horrid, that if I were to explain it to you; you'd have nightmares 'till the day you die. We live in a small town in Louisiana. I'm not going to tell you which one it is –cough- Covington –cough-. Here we go! Okay first I'm going to describe me, then John, Gabe, Charles, Kalley, and Emily.  
My name, as you know, is Alexandra Ride. I am 15 years old and live with two brothers, John, and two cousins. My birthday, which I'm going to regret exposing, is March 14th. I am about 5' 9". I'm always in charge when we're not with Max, Fang, or if we are just out, which happens to be quite a lot. As you already know I have strawberry blonde hair and wings that are 15 feet wide with golden and pastel brown feathers. To make this easier on me I'm telling you this now: we can all fly and all are very skinny; we all grew up knowing how to fight and how to defend. I can fly and have… almost like a telekinesis power. It comes in handy when you need something, but it's far away. (Also when you're trying to steal your brother's stuff.) The only problem is, it takes a lot of concentration, which, quite frankly, I don't have time for. I have one more skill, (people say skill, I say hobby) give me any object and I can tell you how to kill someone with it; give me a poison and in about five minutes, I can tell you how and why you can kill someone with it.  
John is 15 and 6'1". John's wings are like darkness, they seriously make him look like the Angel of Death. He's quite strong, I mean, we are all strong, but he's probably the strongest of us all; he doesn't have 'super strength'. And, a strange thing about him is he kind of just lives with us, we didn't adopt him, and he's been my only friend since I was born. I know if I were to say, "Okay, so to save our lives we have to go through those twenty Erasers and off the cliff into the ocean," John'd be right there with me, by my side. Any decision I make, he wouldn't hesitate in following me. John's my second in command; he's the one I can tell anything to, the one I know would never betray me, even if everyone else was. Max found him at the school, and she saved him; took him in. All I'm gonna tell you about his birthday is that it's during in May; I respect his line of privacy. John doesn't talk a lot; in fighting, his specialty is stealth, a major advantage in battles. When John stands completely still, he can blend into anything; call it what you may, invisibility, camouflage, whatever, I call it epicness! Also, John really loves his privacy. No one has ever been in his room. We don't know what he's got in there, if anything. Not even I have been in his room; I've seen itty-bitty peeks into his room before, but not the full thing. All I know is that the walls are black.  
Then, there's my brother, Gabe; he 15, like me. We are not twins! Everyone thinks that, annoyingly enough, we are twins. He was born in December, December 30th. He's 6'0". Gabe is blind. He's got silver eyes with wing that match. Gabe's hair is a light brown. He can fly really well for a blind guy; Gabe almost flies as well as Iggy, who is also blind. If Gabe's with Iggy, he can create any bomb, or explosive. So, if Iggy and Gabe go off and they're hiding something in their shirt or are sneaking around, don't follow them unless you want to be blown up, which I hopefully, and highly, doubt. He learned everything about picking locks and bombing from Iggy. His record time on picking my seven lock closet with a bobby-pin is 3 minutes. Charles timed and recorded it. I had proof and told/showed Max, and because of it, they both got grounded for a month; they got their explosives and lock picking kit from Iggy provoked for 2 months. Sometimes, I wonder what Gabe would do without his partner in crime; my other brother, Charles, and then I wonder 'how boring would my life be without those explosive partners.'  
Charles is 9 years old and Gabe's partner in crime. He's about 4'10" at the age of 8. Just something to help you out if you ever meet him, don't let him have beans! That kid's got a weird gastronomical system. Anyway, he's got short spiky blonde hair, and blue eye. Anyways, time to get back on track, jeez people stop distracting me! His wings are a faded-jean blue. Charles can fly and has X-Ray vision; it's handy what with how much we get into bone-shattering fights.  
My oldest cousin, Kalley, is 12 years old. She's 5'6", so compared to most people in her class; she looks like an eighth grader instead of sixth. She has red hair to her upper thighs, with turquoise eyes. She's a girly-girl with the habit to bedazzle clothes, walls, pictures, anything she could get her hands on. Aunt Ella made the mistake of giving Kalley one for her birthday two years ago. She can read minds and go invisible on top of her ability to fly. No privacy there, no ma'am, or sir, or… thing. She can get on my nerves with a level 10 on the 'ear-bleeding annoyance' scale.  
My other cousin, Kalley, the youngest, is 7 years old. She's about 4'8", with sea green eyes and red, wire glasses. Kalley has light brown hair and loves purple so she's trying to get purple ends. Kalley is very electronically gifted. Tell her to make something, she can make it, just get her the parts and she'll do it, without directions. Emily almost made a time machine, but Gabe and Charles blew it up with a minor bomb; they called it 'the pocket edition'. There's only one thing she has ever failed at making; that'd be a machine to beat me in hand-to-hand combat. Not kidding, that literally the only thing she has ever failed to make. 


	4. Chapter 4

I sat down with my charcoal omelet. Everyone looked at me, or at least in my general direction. Kalley, Emily, and Charles got up simultaneously and Gabe followed; they took their plates to the sink. John not getting up with the others makes me feel better for some reason. He was the first one to know about my dream, and he told Max and Fang for me. That's why, I guessed, he stayed instead of left.  
Max and Fang came to sit down at the table on my left, John on my right. John nodded to me in encouragingly. "Alex, now, you are sure it was the school?" my mom asked calmly.  
"I'm absolutely positive, same evil vide and chemical smell. Too many deformed things to be your normal, everyday hospital." I said quietly.  
"Was there any indication that it could be anything else?" John asked his voice tense but face blank.  
"No, everyth-" I was cut off.  
"KALLEY! OUT! NOW!" my mom yelled, her voice echoing like in a cave.  
"Bu-! How did you-!"  
"Now!" Max's voice ice, it made me flinch, like nails on a chalkboard.  
"-Sigh- Okay," her voice dripped with the fake sadness, she picked that up from me; that mischievous little girl.  
"Ugh! You know what… no, just go get your school stuff and round everyone up. Go wait for the bus," Max said exasperation in her voice.  
We left once everyone was ready. We are supposed to ride the bus but I have claustrophobia. Me + a 15 row bus + about 20 other kids = you better stay 5 seats behind, or in front, of me.  
"So, Alex, what are you going to do today? I'm gonna act like Odette from 'Swan Lake'. Angel read me the story, and a just absolutely loved it!" ranted Emily doing a leap.  
"Well, I'm going to pretend not to exist by sitting in the back, corner desk of each class!" I said cheerfully, and then groaned.  
"Oh. Well, what about you John? You never tell us what you do during the school day," said Kalley eagerly trying to pry into what he does. Of course, in response, just to tick her off, he shrugged and put his hands in his pocket. She sighed. "Well, I'm gonna decorate my school books in purple sparkles," Kalley took out a vial of sparkles and stared at it as if she were on an Eraser looking at one of us. John kept looking around, at his surroundings, and his gaze kept falling on me, his dark, emotionless eyes softened for two seconds, that's when I realized he was worried about me, what with my dream and all.  
"Oh, well, I'm gonna do something useful with my time!" Gabe began. "I'm going to finish the plans for a 'Big Boy 2.0'! You know the recreation of Iggy and the Gasman's bomb 'Big Boy'; Charles promised to write it down for me."  
"Nuh–uh! I have plans ya' know!" Charles protested.  
"Yeah; with me," Gabe countered.  
"Oh. Heh! Sorry. Hard to keep track." Finally, we were at school. 


	5. Chapter 5

Okay, so I've got my math books and my diary. All I have to do is get to my locker without disturbing anyone, I thought to myself focusing my gaze on my locker. No one is approaching me. Goo-  
"Hey watch where you're going! Dimwit!" someone shouted at me after slamming me damn hard into the locker, which has the locks sticking out of the walls.  
"Oi!" I yelled back. "That hurt! Who the hell do you think you are?!" Then, I saw who it was… crud.  
"Seriou- oh- uh- um," he spat out. Before I could really process what just happened, I grabbed my math stuff that fell out my arms, with my backpack on my back, ran down the hall as fast as I can.  
As I'm half way out the door at the end of the north wing of Fontainebleau High School, I hear him yell, "Hey! Wait! You forgot something!" Pfft! Please! Book bag, math junk, dia- fudge, no diary! Oh well. Too late now; I'll get it in the morning. I guess it's time for an "Up n' at away" As I look back to see John and Gabe run out the doors as the kid who shoved me, stuffs my diary into his bag. John grabs my backpack, and Gabe grabbed my math stuff.  
Faster, faster, faster! Come on you can fly a little faster than this! Within 30 seconds, the school is out of sight, even with my raptor-like vision. Within another minute I was 10 miles away and at my house.  
I came down into a skidding halt, trying to stop without falling, but in the process, I tripped over a pine cone, therefore falling flat on my face. My side ached like hell from getting slammed into the lockers and then tripping onto my face. Aunt Ella, Max, and finally Fang came out after hearing a bit of colorful language coming from my mouth.  
Aunt Ella was the first to speak, "Are you okay?! Are you hurt? What happened? Where is everyone else? Are y'all okay?"  
"Everyone… is… at… school," I began huffing in between each word. "I'm… okay," I made sure not to say 'fine', "Can… I… talk… to Max… and… Fang?" Finally getting my breath back, I stood up and we walked inside, to the kitchen.  
My dad's first words, because he's just like that, where, "Did anyone outside the flock see you fly away?"  
"Fang!" Max screeched. Max went to go punch Fang as he gave a lil' smirk and opened the fridge bringing out a jug of Sunny- D. "Yeah, actually," Max froze mid-hit. "His name is James Smith. He's in the grade above me. Fang, he has my diary! The one you gave me for my birthday last year! I saw him put it in his book bag."  
"Don't worry, I didn't steal it," said a voice, not too familiar to my ears, then it hit me, it's James. Crap!  
"Aagh! When did you get here? How the hell did you find out where I live," I practically screamed.  
"Whoa! Calm down. I just came to give you your book back," said James reaching into his book bag. I kept in battle position, in my family, there's no such thing as being 'too careful'. "I got your address off the school directory," he continued, "online. Sorry about knocking you into the lockers, John and Gabe have your books and backpack. I'm gonna go now," he finished, slowly going towards the door.  
"How did you walk/ run ten miles only a few minutes after me?"  
"Gotta go! Bye." 


	6. Chapter 6

Because I'm just so special, John and Gabe came in, drawing in their wings. "Wah! Y'all can do it too!"  
"Get out!" John snarled his voice like ice; James ran out the door and down the dirt path as fast as he could. I couldn't control myself, I laughed; James runs like a girl. John was trying to stifle a laugh.  
"Here's your math stuff," Gabe said handing it to me. "We would've been here sooner, but I got caught in a flock of geese," he finished shyly.  
"Charles, Emily, and Kalley know what to do. They understand; I don't trust that kid. I here he gets mixed up with the wrong people. There are other rumors going around the school, but I'm not sure how true they are." My mom and dad nodded at this information.  
I don't know why, but I just needed to go sit in my room, alone. I started to run to my room, out the kitchen door, through our living room, down the hall, the 3rd door on my left. I grabbed the pillow off of my bed, and sat on the side closest to the door on the floor. I rested my head on the edge of the bed, forgetting to lock the door behind me. Just like that, I started to bawl; I didn't have a reason to start bawling, yet I had hundreds of reasons at the same time but it made me feel better. This was the first time in 7 years that I've cried. Since the tears started to flow, there was no way to stop them, so I did exactly what I wanted to do. I cried and cried and cried, burying my face into the pillow.  
A few minutes later, when my tears had calmed, I heard a quiet knock. "Who is it?" I asked trying to get the rasp out of my voice.  
"John. Can I come in?"  
"No!" I responded in haste. John came in anyway, closing the door behind him; I wiped away the water lingering on my tearstained face.  
He sat on my bed, next to my head. John put a hand on my shoulder, and asked calmly, "You okay? I saw you freak out in the hellway- oh! Sorry, hallway." That comment made me laugh and he cracked a sideways smile. That one half-smile cheered me up a lot.  
"Yeah; I'm fine. It's a half day of school, so the others should be home soon, maybe half an hour." I said trying to change the subject; I didn't want to talk about it.  
John caught on and said, "Yeah, I think so. Iggy, Gasman, Nudge, and Angel are already here. They came early to surprise us after school. Sucks for them; their plans are foiled. I made them totally freak out," John said with a straight face. I don't know how he does it. Years of experience?  
"Ooh! Do tell, do tell; who'd you freak out the most?" I asked. He's very notorious; as I mentioned before he's amazing at stealth.  
"Who do you think?" he asked looking at me like I was crazy.  
"Nudge!" We said simultaneously.  
"I was sitting on the sofa when Nudge and 'em come in talking, mainly Nudge, and laughing. Well, I take advantage of this loud moment. I sneak around the to the back of them, slam the door shut really hard making a huge noise, and say 'What no knock? So inconsiderate.' Iggy didn't freak out, because he heard me, but everyone else did. Even Angel."  
"Nice!" We slapped high-fives and went out to the people in the living room. 


	7. Chapter 7

~The Morning of the Next Day~ "Mom, I had that dream again," I said grabbing a banana out the fruit bowl.  
"Okay. Fang did you hear her?"  
"Yes, I did mother I'm not deaf!" Fang responded.  
"Shut up! I was making sure," my mom said. " God! You are so ignorant," Max mumbled under her breath.  
"Um… Fang, do you know where the drawers to my dresser drawer are?" I asked. Okay, so I woke up and went to get out of my pajamas and they weren't there. All that was left was the dresser, no drawers with clothes in them.  
"Did you try Charles' room?" he asked.  
"Oh! Let me go check." He's always stealing my stuff, looking through it. When I walked into his room, there he was, looking through my shirt drawer.  
"Seriously?! All you have in your shirt drawer are black shirts. Is that all you wear?! I don't see any color drawer." Charles said as I walked through the door.  
"I've got a white blouse. I've got button- up shirts in my closet. No, black is not all that I wear, it's what I prefer to wear," I responded.  
"Oh and by the way, I thought you might want to know that Kalley is bedazzling your long-sleeved black battle-of-the-bands shirt," Charles said in a matter-of-fact voice.  
"KALLEY! I will murder you! If you actually bedazzled my battle-of-the-bands shirt, no, any of my shirts, your blood will be splattered on the front lawn!" I screamed marching out of Charles' room. After that, I heard a shriek and the sound of three locks locking. Charles followed me bringing my drawers full of clothes."Good; run. You might actually live another day," I murmured, fuming with anger.  
"Alex, would you stop threatening your sister's life and just go get dressed for school!?"  
"Ugh! Fine mother!" I only called Max mother mom with the emphasis on the word when I was at volcano level angry. I heard Max grunt, which meant she caught onto my anger. I was truly irritated to the point of, 'if anyone comes up to me today, I'll kill them with the eraser of the pencil in my book bag.' (Believe me, I can do it, now, I'm not going to tell you because there are too many overzealous bookworms out there.)  
John sneaked up behind me. I was too mad to jump or freak out, so the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. As I turned around, John said, "Mornin' Alex." He was definitely half asleep. "What's the racket going on about? Did Kalley bedazzle?"  
"Oh! Pfft! I don't know," I started to yell at him; "I only get this mad when pink fluffy unicorns are fluttering in my room!" Fudge! That was jackass, jerk move. John held up his hand in an 'I'm innocent', which for him was 'sorry; didn't mean to upset you; just wondering.'  
"Sorry," I mumbled, barely audible. I'm not good at apologies, nor do I give them freely, but I did not need to go off on John, of all people, for what Kalley made me angry about. "Yeah, Kalley bedazzled again." (Though it's actually more like 'again x17.')  
"You should go get dressed, or at least eat breakfast." I was about to responds with 'I already had a banana, I'm fine', "No, if you had a piece of fruit for breakfast, it doesn't actually count as breakfast. I mean eggs, bacon, biscuits, and so on," John called walking out the hallway. He knew me too well.  
He turned waiting for the answer at the end of the hall. "I'll get dressed then go eat breakfast. Okay?"  
"I'll wait for you." He said and leaned against the post of the doorway with one foot up, like the cowboys do it. It fit that he would do it too. He always wore a plaid button up with a muscle shirt under it and faded jeans. He always wore running tennis shoes.  
And he did. Two minutes later, I was dressed and he was still there, leaning against the doorway. "Come on," John called, getting off the post, "breakfast awaits." We had the usual; eggs, bacon, grits (Grits is something you can only find in the south, you know, in southern Louisiana, for those who don't us southerners), biscuits, muffins, etc., etc. 


	8. Chapter 8

We were at Fontainebleau High school; at least, Gabe, John, and I were. Kalley, Emily, and Charles are at Covington Elementary. We usually went to go pick them up so we can fly to and from school together, without being seen by people, well usually- heh, yesterday was a mess up. Anyway, I was going down the hallway to homeroom, keeping my head down, when I noticed, because my years of paranoia, that literally everyone was staring, not joking everyone.  
I got to homeroom and still had 20 minutes till my first period. Just my luck! To make a sucky morning even suckier, some girl is approaching me. "Hello. Are you Alex?" a girl that I had never seen before said coming up to my corner desk. "My name is Lauren. Uh… I'm new to this school," that explains it, "Ms. Brennon told me to pick someone to show me around school. Is it okay that I picked you, or should I pick another student?" Her voice was sweet and soft.  
Lauren's hair looked like it was glowing from the sun coming through the window. Her hair was brown with golden natural highlights. Lauren held back her long swing bangs back with a butterfly clip. Her hair, even fishtailed, was down to her ankles. Lauren had very vague freckles dotting across her pale cheeks and nose. She wasn't too tall, but she was our skinny; no one is our skinny except mutants.  
"One of my good friends, James, told me that you'd be a good person to choose to show me around school," she knew James? "I mean, if it's okay with you and all!" she quickly added.  
"No, no, it's fine, I swear!" she startled me into saying. No one is ever, like, actually concerned about what the other person thinks; people here don't give a care, they just do. Everyone was still staring at me and Lauren, murmuring under their breath. "Uh, do you know why everyone is staring at me?" I whispered to her.  
She bended over to respond, "It's because of the incident with you and James yesterday. I mean, what happened after you ran home."  
"What happened after," I asked cautiously.  
"Rumors are going around that James is gonna try and ask you out," suddenly she caught her breath, like she wasn't supposed let me know something. "Oops! I wasn't supposed to tell you that," she frowned.  
"No, no! Thank you! Really! I don't like surprises. I loathe surprises." I was quiet for a minute thinking.  
"Oh!" I said trying to break the silence. "I need to see your schedule, that way I can show you where you're supposed to go." I looked over hers, then looked mine over. "We have the same exact schedule. Since that is so, do you want to explore now, before school starts, or you can wait until the end of the day, where we'll have more time, and just follow me around until then?" I was hoping she would say the end of the day, that way I could avoid James easier.  
"Oh! Um..." she tilted her head, "After school's fine with me." it felt as though she were reading my thoughts. That couldn't be true though. Right?!  
"Ooooookay?" I said lifting an eyebrow. I made a swift motion with my hand saying, "You're allowed to sit in any desk you'd like. Pick any seat." She sat in the desk next to mine. There were five different seat all over the classroom and she had to sit in the desk next to me. Seriously?  
"Oh, wait, hold on. If you don't want me to sit by you, please, please tell me, I don't wanna make you uncomfortable. If you want to sit alone tell me, I would never want to make you feel uncomfortable," Lauren said quickly. "No, no. You're fine. I said sit anywhere, sit anywhere."  
"Positive?" she said. "Positive," I responded, nodding. There were four girls approaching me. I saw John's eyes on me. The look in his eyes was a 'do you want me to come over there?' I shook my head the slightest bit. He nodded in acknowledgement. "So Annie," one of the girls started to say. I held up my hand. "It's Alex." "Oh, right. Sorry. Anyway, there are, like, These totes adorbs rumors all over the place. People say that James is going to ask you out. Are you gonna accept the offer?"  
"What's your name?" I asked absolutely clueless of who she was.  
"My name's Abby."  
"Okay Abby… whatever I tell him, if I tell him anything, is none of your concern. I wouldn't trust the likes of you and your 'clique' to know my private life." I got up from my desk as the bell rang and Lauren followed.  
~~~~ I had just gotten done showing around Lauren around and she left. Out of the woods behind the Cafeteria, right before I release my wings, James appears. The one person I had been avoiding all day, had to be the one to talk to me before I fly home. And I thought I was having a relatively, unemotional, unconfusionional, nondelusional day.  
"Hey, Alex." I stopped cold. He was three feet in front of me. "I know we don't really know each other very well, but, um… Would you like to go to the school dance next Friday? With me?"  
It took me a minute to gather and comprehend this note that he was spewing out at me.  
"I guess," his face brightened a bit, I don't know why I was saying yes. I didn't want to, so I quickly added, "I mean… -sigh- let me ask my mom about it." "Okay. Let me know when you have your answer," he said enthusiastically.  
"'Kay." Wow! This is a step up. Usually I'm avoiding people like there's no tomorrow, but today… I was willing to go to a school dance full of people. "Wait, James!" He turned to face me. "I'm sorry, but… I can't accept your offer." I can't go to the dance with him when I don't like him, I like someone more dear to my heart.  
Today, I walked home instead of flew home. It gave me time to think; a lot of time to think. By the time I got home, it was a bit after 6 p.m. and I was starving. In the corner, Iggy, Gazzy, Gabe, and Charles were looking over plans for a Big Boy 2.0. Angel and Kalley were gossiping and discussing makeup styles. Nudge and Emily were… bedazzling my ONLY white blouse! Oh well, I'll deal with them both later. They heard me close the door and looked up from their activities. It only took them a few seconds to get up and bombard me with questions.  
"GUYS!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. They all stopped talking. "I'm fine," I said lowering my voice. "I just had to do something after school. It was a last minute decision. See? I'm unharmed, and fine."  
I didn't go to dinner. I went and sat on my bed, and began to try to sort through my thoughts. Everyone, I assumed, was picking up their dinner plates, because the chatter dissipated for a minute, and started back up a bit louder than before. I heard a slight knock on my door.  
"Who is it?"  
"John," he said quietly, "can I come in?"  
"Go ahead, it's open." He opened the door slightly then entered. Seeing him in my room started to make me feel light-headed.  
"Alex, are you okay? You look a little pale," John said quietly.  
"No, I'm f- fine. I- I- I'm just a little t- tired, I guess," I said stuttering every few words.  
"Alex, are you okay? Seriously, are you okay?" his voice sounded like a whisper, and my world went black. I felt his rough hands catch me as I started to fall forward. 


	9. Chapter 9

"Max! Fang! Hurry!" John yelled at the top of his lungs. They came in running and stopped when they saw Alex looking limp in John's arms.  
"What the hell happened?!" Max screamed at John in alarm. Fang, was trying to get past Max who had her arms open in the doorway. Finally, Fang got past Max, and ran over to take Alex from him.  
"I don't know! I came in to check up on her. She seemed a bit off when she came home, so I went to go talk to her. I try to get her to tell me what's the matter, because I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know what! Next thing I know she's passed out, so I caught her before she fell on her face!"  
Fang got a good grip on Alex and laid her down on her bed. He froze suddenly, catching his breath. "Max, John." He leaped over the bed and ran to the windowsill on the right. "Look. This; this is definitely not good. What is this even?"  
"It's a… portable tranquilizer-dart-launcher," John said, not trying to hide the surprise, and stun off his face.  
"Get Ella, she'll know what to do she's a vet. She knows about this stuff," Fang said, a hint of panic pouring through his voice.  
"ELLA! COME QUICK! Estaporealoume! Sheezeakal Alex Nozooka!" Max shouted at the top of her lungs. That last part was a language her flock created when they were in the School. Ella and the flock came running through the door while the kids stayed in the living room baffled with what nonsense was shouted. Ella froze in the doorway, seeing a motionless, passed-out, frozen, coma-like Alex, too bewildered to say anything. "Oh God, Oh god! What happened?" Ella yelled, as she got the confidence to speak. The kids ran to the doorway to see what the commotion was. Everyone was in shock, besides John, he had the sense to start searching the room to see what just happened. "G- guys?" John asked his voice raspy from trying to hold back tears of fear, thinking he might lose the one person he trusted, and loved the most. At first, John didn't want to admit it to himself, but now, he knew there was no choice. He loved his best friend. "I… uh… think I found the problem. Ya' know, how it was launched." Max spun around faster than John's eyes could track. He pointed to a small wire trailing along the walls to the window. "Someone had to have snuck into the bedroom to set this up. Max," John started quickly, "when was the last time no one was at home?"  
"This morning, we all went out, while you guys were at school, we went out for breakfast." Max was horrified as she caught onto what he was saying.  
Ella found the dart on the ground, sniffed the point and side to see if she would recognize the drug used. She almost screamed. It was about four or five inches from her nose, and she could smell the drug. Too stunned to say anything else, Ella murmured quickly, yet pretty loudly, "Chlordiazepoxide!"  
John, knowing she wasn't about to say anything else, took out Alex's computer and researched it. 


	10. Chapter 10

John clicked the first site that looked promising. . / A few of the sections looked distinctly important to the current promblem.  
"Dang! This is definitely not going to be good. That stuff must pack a hell of a load on it," John hissed, inwardly having a melt down.

"How of all the hellishly-screwed plans did they get into a liquidated form though?" Max was scared and only Fang could tell.

"They made a paste out of it," Fang replied with tears forming, and cleared his throat.

"God damn it! Why did it have to happen to Alex?! They didn't have to do it to her!" John shouted, finally losing his cool. He slammed his fists into the wall and went into his room. Everyone froze at his unexpected outburst of emotion. In all of their minds all they could think was John lost his cool? He never does that. or What just happened? That was scary. What's the matter with him? No one had seen him freak out. Especially like that. Sure, if it were a crack of a smile, or a frown, that would've been different, they could all have dealt with that, but an angry as all hell John? That was definitely not a good sign; they will all have to steer clear of him for a while.

John stormed off into his room, wondering why he just cracked. He was always so cautious with the others around, made sure to be concealed. If Alex were awake, he wouldn't have let that happen. With Alex around, he could control himself; John would not under any circumstance, have shown that much or kind of weakness around her. All he could think about was Alex, Alex everything, Alex flying, smiling, scolding at him for making some really stupid, narcissistic comment on her fighting skills compared to his. The main one running through his head was a horrid, inexpressible, and inconsolable memory. One of the school.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" John heard Alex scream after only 20 minutes in a new room.

"NO! STOP! PLEASE! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" It hurt to hear her ear-piercing scream and begs to the enemy. "MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE! JOHN PLEASE SAVE ME! IT'S TOO MUCH! NO! NO, PLEASE!"

"I'm coming for you Alex! Just wait!" John wasn't even sure she could hear him, but he didn't care, he tried anyway.

"Alex! Charles! Gabe! John! Kalley! Emily!" Max was here! Max was coming for us! Fang's there too! Ella's here too! They've come to save us!

"Max, Fang Ella! Over here! Alex is in trouble. Please, let me out; I know where she is. I promised her I would save her. Hurry!" John yelled to them frantically.

"We're coming just hold on a second. We are trying to get to you," Ella told us trying to figure out the lock.

"Is Iggy here? Iggy knows the code, he can tell you," Fang yelled to Ella remembering the last time we were here.

"I remember it; hold up… 6… 8... 3… 2… 5… 9… finally 0," John was practically shouting the code. He had to save her. He promised. "Hurry up! How long does it take to type in 6, 8, 3, 2, 5, 9, 0?" The cage lock opened with a click, and he burst out before she could open it.

Pass up 5 doors to the left, then down the hall to the… left, then through the double doors, into the white room. That's what John remembered from when they took him in. It malfunctioned just two minutes into the experiment, so they couldn't complete it. He had no idea what she was going through. Bursting through the doors, he saw a bloodied, bruised girl. His eyes. They contained betrayal, pain, anger, hatred, and worst of all- pure and utter indescribable fury. In the room there was an observation deck to the right, against the wall. John, with pure anger and hatred cascading through his veins, took out the five erasers and twelve White-Coats in the room, and shut off the machinery causing the torture. As Alex's body starts fall to the ground John's strong arms wrap around her already unconscious body.

"Alex! Alex please! Please just talk to me! I promised you I would save you! Please! I have to have gotten you in time! Please!" John didn't burst into tears; no, instead, instead, he gently gave Alex's body to Fang, fell to his knees and beat the ground, saying he couldn't be out of time and begging Alex to be alright under his breath. This went on for almost an hour before he heard a small, "J-John? I-I told you I w-w-was inde-destructa-able. Thank y-y-you…" And she fell into unconsciousness as John took her body from Fang. Embracing the limp, but living form, he stood up, regaining his self-control.

"Let's go home, before things get worse." John's face already impassable again along with his eyes. The six bird-kids, and adults nodded in agreement.

Seven years later and that memory was still like a ghost, haunting him. Now it was different for John. John can't, no, doesn't and won't let himself go out of control like that ever again. He swore to himself, that 'John' was not the 'John' he wanted to be. That was the 'John' that all of the kids were afraid of, and he couldn't have that happen. Getting on his own computer, he checked out the site he found earlier, and a few things stood out to him.

He took a few deep breaths to steady out his breathing. calming his body and mind, left the room to make sure Max was okay, and to show her what he found.

"Max!" he called out to her as she left Alex's room.

"Yeah? What's up? What's the matter, you know, besides the actual problem," Max asked coming up to him.

"I reviewed the site again, and a few things stood out to me. Here, I made a list." He handed it to her, and she reviewed it carefully.

Stuff that may be dangerous, and considered:

induces sleepiness

not supposed to be chewed(in this case, made into powder)

causes drowsiness and muscle weakness

children should not use

side effects (very rare and could be important):::::

speech problems

tremor?

jerky and involuntary spasms

slow, shallow breath

short term memory loss

hallucinations

nightmares

depression?

restlessness

irritability

aggression

delusions/ psychotic reactions

abnormal behaviour

emotional disturbances

Unexpected reaction to the medicine,?

Jaundice?

"I know a lot of this stuff won't have any effect on her, but even some drugs we aren't immune to. I think this is one of those drugs. Now, some of these I think we should monitor her over. I don't think we should let her be alone at all, conscious or not."

"Okay, but which one in particular do you think we should watch for?" Max asked intrigued in John's extensive thought over this.

"I think there are about eight or nine we should really worry about. Let's see… the spasms… shallow breath and nightmares… um, maybe the hallucinations, but highly doubt that. What else? Uh, restlessness, irritability, and aggression, those are all common for Alex, but we definitely need to watch her on that stuff. Maybe the delusions, but don't count on that," John explained, not sure if she understood or followed what he had said.

Max shook her head to clear in and then stated, "Yeah, I'll get someone in there immediately. Can you highlight or mark the ones we should be expecting?"

"Max? Can I be the one to watch her? I already know what she might be subjected to with the side effects and all? Plus, I can't help but think it's my fault. Please just let me take care of her. Please?"

"Okay. But! Remember this: it is not your fault she is in this state, and I would have probably put you in charge of taking care of her anyways. How long were you in there researching that drug?"

"Hour? Hour and a half?" He shrugged, not really thinking it was a big deal.

"Thank you." John just shrugged again, and went into Alex's bedroom.

"Alex? You awake?" John asked quietly from Alex's bedside, when she stirred a bit.

"Hel- Help! Please?!" Alex called out, her voice rasp and quiet in the room.

"Alex?" John shook her to wake up. "Alex, Alex, wake up. Wake up, it's just a dream, I swear. I'm right here," John told her soothingly. She woke up blinking rapidly, fighting tears.

"John!" she called trying to sit up. She tried and failed due to John putting his hand on her shoulder and forcing efficiently, but gently, downward, back onto the mattress. "John it was horrible. You- I- everyone-! You all left me! You guys left me for dead!"

"Alex, it was just a nightmare. You're fine, you know we would never, not in a thousand years, not ever just leave you for dead. Okay?" She nodded. "Okay. Now, I need to ask you a few things, okay? That way I know what I have to explain to you. Got that?" God. John thought to himself This is like talking to a two year old, but it is definitely worth it.

"Okay… go ahead. Ask what you need to."

"What is the last thing you can remember?"

"The last thing I remember…" she pondered this for a moment. "Um… well, you came into the room asking if I was okay, and I said yeah, then my world started to go black."

"Okay, so I don't have to tell you what we said, just what happened. So, what happened long story short is someone rigged a tranquilizer-dart-launcher in your room. Well, it was full of chlordiazepoxide, or librium, which knock you out for a while, and has a bunch of different side effects, and is supposed to do a bunch of stuff to you." She nodded in awe of 1) what happened to her and 2) that was the most she had ever heard him say at one time.

Then he added, "Do you feel drowsy?"

"Mm-hmm."

"'Kay, dizzy?" She nodded "Okay, well get some rest, you're gonna need it. Oh! And you're also bedridden until I say you are not. That'll be quite a while. That also means you are not going to school until further notice."

"Ugh! Why do you get to say this stuff?"

"Because I'm the one in charge of you and I know what the effects of the drug is. Also, because Max said so." John gave a little smirk and Alex smashed him in the face with a pillow in her bed. She shot him the bird and went back to sleep. "Goodnight."

"Nng. Let me sleep asshole," Alex said already drifting into a dreamless sleep. After a while of peaceful sleep, her legs and arms started to twist and spaz out. John knew how to deal with this; he made sure, having a hunch of what side effects in this case would be. All he could do was leave her alone, but restrain her from hurting herself. That's what he did, he tried to let it play through. It only lasted about five minutes anyways, so he didn't stress… too, too much. You know, he was worried as hell, but he stayed calm, or as calm as he could, which was, in his defense, still pretty calm. 


	11. Chapter 11

"Max? Fang?" John called to them down the hall, and they came. "Um… she will have to bedridden for what I imagine… a week to be safe? She won't be able to go until next Monday, and neither will I. I really need to stay by her. Just in case." Max nodded reluctantly, and Fang did the same.

"So does that mean the immature, blind kid is going to manage two girls, and a guy?" Fang asked cautiously.

"Hey!" Iggy called from the living room, "I did it multiple times!"

"I know," Fang shouted, "that's what I'm worried about."

"Jerk," Iggy scoffed.

"Anyway," Max began, getting back on track, "the big question is will she be alright?"

John nodded. "Definitely, should be good as new. No prob. I should get back in there. The beast may awake soon." Max held back a small laugh and Fang grinned. It kind of cheered John up and made him feel better that he could impress Fang. Fang was his idol, next to Iggy, of course. With Iggy, he could tell him anything, but Fang was the one he really tried to be like. And, the best part, he didn't have to try too hard for it. John walked into the room as the beast awoke.

Why does my head hurt so much? Oh, yeah. That drug, no doubt set up by, no doubt, a spy of the school. I turned over in the bed to face the door, and John came in. "Hey, John." My voice was rasp, and I was trying to clear it, when my face started getting hotter and I started to sweat. "John," I said after a minute, "my head hurts, I'm hot, and my throat hurts."

He nodded. "Here." He handed me a thermometer.

"As talkative as ever I see," I taunted, putting it under my tongue. He just shrugged. "Yep. So damn talkative. Like always." After a minute the thermometer beeped. John, in one swift movement, took the device, and looked at the numbers.

"102.5, what have you been doing?!"

"Nothing! I've been bedridden for the past six hours!"

"No, you've been conscious and bedridden for six hours, you've been bedridden for the past nine hours."

"That's my exact point! Thank you!" He gave a snicker and I shot him the bird again. "Ass."

"I know… Now, I know you hate drugs, pills, etc., but you need to take some ibuprofen, it's to reduce the fever." He handed me two pills and a bottle of water. "Take it. Don't worry about it. Ella said it'll help and Max trusts Ella." I still looked skeptical, but he didn't give up. "Please? Just… do this for me. I can't bare you get sick on top of being drugged." I knew this took a lot for him to say that. "Please. I have gotten way too close to losing you three times, and that's not in battle. That's three times too many. Do this for me, if that the only reason you take those pills do it for me."

And I did take them. Just like he asked, and I only took them for him. Anyone else and I wouldn't have done it. After all, this is John, the one and only, my only, and very best friend. The person I trust with my life. Especially right now, because I was going against one of my most important rule; don't take drug freely, and if you can help it, forcibly either. His face seemed to relax as I popped the pills into my mouth. "Happy now?" I asked. He nodded solemnly.

In half an hour, I could feel the ibuprofen kick in in my system. It really did help with the headache and fever. Now, all I have to deal with is my sore throat. "Hey John?" He looked up from my blanket and at me. "My throat still hurts a bit. Do you know why?" I absolutely hate feeling so helpless.

"Here." John handed me a strawberry throat lozenges. "This should help you out." I nodded. This definitely sucks, 'oh yeah Alex, remember that time you were having John wait on you because you a loser and can't help but that's okay, 'cause you're always so damn helpless.' I can see it in the headlines Weakling, Alex Ride, Helpless as Always. "Alex?"

I looked over to him. "Yeah? What?"

"I called your name five times. What were you thinking about?" he asked. His usually impassive face leaked all of his emotions all at once. He's scared, angry, sympathetic, caring, worried, and et a bit relieved.

"I'm sorry, John. I'm sorry that I scared you. I'm sorry that I worried you. I'm sorry for everything that I'm causing you." Tears started up in my eyes, and started to run down my cheeks, faster, and faster they came.

"Alex- I- this… This isn't your fault. None of this. Don't begin to feel sorry. Never ever think that you could cause me pain as long as you're breathing, because you can't!" John's eyes started to weld up with tears too, but he held them back.

"Thank you." He started to protest that he hadn't done anything to deserve a 'thank you.' "John, please, just accept my thank you. You've done far more than you should be worried with." With that, he left it alone. After not too long, I fell asleep.

A small knock was heard from the door, and Fang stuck his head around the door. He saw John look up from his sleeping daughter. Everyday Fang couldn't help but notice how alike Alex was from Max, it was as if Max's soul is inside this 15 year old girl. And, only one week until her Sweet Sixteen, Nudge was taking care of that, but that's for another time. Right now, all Fang could focus on was his daughter. 


	12. Chapter 12

"John? Maybe you should go and eat some dinner. You've been in here for hours," Fang spoke from the doorway. John just shook his head in protest. "John, you really need to go and eat. Don't worry, I'll be in here while you eat." He nodded reluctantly, got up, and left the room slowly. Fang sat down where John was and took Alex's hand. She woke up.

"Dad?" She peered through the dark at her silent dad. "Dad!" She tried to sit up, but Fang held her down. "Daddy! You came to visit me?" Alex looked over to the clock; 7 o'clock on the dot. "Dad, you didn't skip dinner, did you?"

"It doesn't matter one way or the other. I'm not hungry right now anyways," Fang said smirking a bit.

Alex scoffed. "Liar."

"Daddy, you don't have to do that for me. It's okay." I wrapped my arms around Fang's neck, and brought him down into a hug. Fang propped me up and hugged me back. I love my dad so much, he's my hero, my idol. I absolutely love him so very much.

"Alex, you know your sweet sixteen is in one week. What do you want for your birthday?"

"It is? Oh yeah, it is! Um… not to be bedridden?" I really hate being bedridden. So… boring...

"You're un-bedridden Friday morning, the morning of your birthday. We were going to tell you that, but forgot. So, you still need to answer me, what do you want for your birthday?" Thank god! No more sitting in this stupid bed.

"A phone maybe? I don't know, haven't really thought about it." Okay, I've thought about it a hell of a lot. I want to go on a date, but not with anyone, I want to go on a date with John. I really like him, but I don't know if he likes me, so I don't say anything.

"Alex? You can tell me. What do you really want for your birthday?" Oh, he's good.

I sighed. "Okay, fine. I want to go on a date… with John," I mumbled, hoping he couldn't hear me.

"That's what I thought."

"But I still want the phone!" I added quickly. He chuckled, and John came back in he room. "Hey John."

"Evening, John."

"Hey guys. Fang, Max is wondering where you are. She doesn't know you came to visit Alex."

"I should go then. Max is not one I would like to get pissed, especially at me. Bye, baby. Bye, John."

"Bye Daddy. Oh, and, yes, please don't get Max pissed. That would not be good. Will you visit me tomorrow?"

"Of course." He turned and left.

"You really love your dad, don't you?" John asked sitting down, as I laid down to sleep again.

"Mmhmm. Do you mind if I go to sleep? Or do you wanna talk?"

"Whatever you want to do, but you look tired."

"I'm gonna go to bed, but if anyone comes in, wake me up. Okay?"

"Got it."

"You know, you shouldn't sleep in here. You've got your own bed. You shouldn't have to worry about me while I'm sleeping too."

"Okay, I'll go into my room after you fall asleep. Okay?"

"Mmhmm." And, just like that, fell asleep.

John knew he wasn't going to even sleep tonight, let alone leave her alone in her room. For the next eight hours, he made sure her breathing was steady, she wasn't having major muscle spasms, when she had them, and the thing he worried the most about, the nightmares.

Alex started to talk in her sleep. "No, please, stop. John? John where are you? You promised me you wouldn't leave me!" She was only whispering, but it still hit John hard, like she screamed it in his face.

"Alex," he whispered, shaking her awake, "Alex, I'm right here, I didn't leave you. Just like I promised you." She woke up wide-eyed.

"John!" She sat up quickly and practically leaped into him, hugging him tightly. "You didn't leave me! You kept your promise!" Alex didn't loosen her grip.

"Of course, Alex. You really thought I was gonna leave you? In your condition especially?" He hugged her back, just as tight. Alex's face was buried in John's chest, and he could feel her smile. "I won't leave you. Just like I promised."

"It's four in the morning. Did you sleep at all, John?" Alex asked. She was really concerned about him. Alex didn't think that it was good that yesterday he didn't go to lunch, and rushed through dinner.

"Of course not. Did you think I was gonna sleep knowing something might happen while I am sleeping?" John asked, not seeing the problem with this.

"John. Seriously, you need to sleep!" He just shook his head. "Damn it John! You're so stubborn!" Alex whisper-shouted.

He sat in silence for about half an hour and Alex fell asleep hugging him, so he left her there. He thought it may help chase away the nightmares, he knew it sounded stupid and childish, but it hurt him seeing her have those nightmares. Finally, as if an alarm clock went off, at 6:30 a.m. Alex woke up.

I got off of John and sat up in my bed. I wasn't cold from not having a blanket, John is really warm. I remembered the reason why I was on him, the hug. "Good morning, John." He looked down at me, taking his gaze off the ceiling.

"Good morning," John said, giving a small smile, and I didn't hate being bedridden so much any more. He got up and locked the door. "Okay, I have got a question for you, and there will be no interruptions this time. Can I ask you my question?"

"Go ahead. Shoot," I stated lamely.

He hesitated for a minute. "On your birthday… No. Okay, my question is Do you want to go on a date on your birthday?" he asked shyly. Did my dad tell him what I wanted for my birthday? No, he didn't have any time to. That means he was doing it for himself. He likes me? He likes me! God, I sound like a 5 year old!

"I- uh- Yeah! That'd be great." He looked relieved, then satisfied, but I think he was really happy too.

"Good. Friday, 7:00 sharp. We're going to walk around downtown Covington. We'll be back here for 10:00? Does that sound good?" I nodded. This is freaking dream; if this is a dream, I never want to wake up. I hugged him again, and he hugged me back without hesitation this time. We broke our hug when a knock came from the door, and John unlocked it. "Sorry, I locked it last night, and forgot to unlock it," John told Fang.

Fang nodded. "Alex, you ready for company?"

"Yeah Dad. Who is visiting?" I didn't know who would want to spend their morning with a girl bedridden, when they could be out somewhere.

Fang smirked, "You'll see. Guys, come on." And they all piled into my room. Okay, so, we got: Max, Fang, Gazzy, Nudge, Angel, Gabe, Charles, John, Kalley, and Emily. Where are Iggy and Ella though?

"Thank you all for coming, but, um, where is Ella, and Iggy?" I voiced my thoughts.

"They're in the kitchen, they'll be in here in a little bit," Nudge spoke up, quickly. "Alex! I am so happy you are okay. I mean, you will be alright for your birthday, right? I mean, after all, it is your sweet sixteen. That's, like, your mmpf! MMMMhhhn! Mmmm." Iggy walked into the room, and instantly cupped his hand around her mouth.

"There you go, Alex. Figure you don't want to be deaf and bedridden," Iggy shrugged. I smiled. Iggy and Gazzy, they are the best, especially with stuff like that. Nudge made a face. It was a mix between anger, 'ha-ha. very funny', and surprize. "Hey, Alex, what do you want for your birthday?"

"I don't. There isn't anything I really want."

"Except?" Gazzy prompted.

"I already told Dad what I wanted, ask him," I held up my hands in a 'don't look at me' way. Everyone, in sync, turned to Fang.

"All she want is a phone, and I don't think she wants ten phones… I hope." Fang looked at me.

"Trust me, I don't," I responded, quickly. He pretended to look relieved.

"Okay," Gabe began, "so, we need to think up present ideas! Got it!"

We spent the next five hours talking, laughing, explaining stuff, filling in Ella when she just walked in, and Iggy, Fang, and Gazzy started throwing stuff at each other, but soft stuff. Everyone broke for lunch, except for John, I tried, and tried, and tried to get him to go eat, but he was so stubborn, so I just gave up. At 2:00 they came back in, and did we did the same thing until 7 p.m., then they went to eat, and Fang stayed with me.

"Dad, I haven't eaten in forever. When do I get food? I am not a robot; need food to function!"

"Oh. Sorry. I'll get Iggy to get you something."

"John hasn't gotten any either."

"I'll get you your food, hold on." He walked over to the door, opened it, and stuck his head out to the hallway. "Max! Get your daughter some food!"

"I'm coming!" Max shouted back. She came into my room two minutes later with a plate that had two steaks, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas, two bags of mini lays chips, and a liter of Dr. Pepper.

"Befor I get poisoned for not knowing who made dinner," I began, "please tell me you did not cook dinner. Please tell me Iggy cooked dinner!" I am generally worried right now. I hope to god that Iggy is the one making dinner.

"Just eat the damn food!"

"It's Iggy. He seasoned my steaks the way asked him to. He still makes it special for me. Thanks Max!"

"Oh, so you made Iggy your cooking slave, did you?" Max asked, hands on her hips.

I put my hands out as if they were a scale and moved them up and down. "Eh, you could call it that. I think he would prefer personal chef, not cooking slave."

Iggy called from the living room, "Well, it's true!"

"Quit budding in, Iggy!" I shouted at him.

"I'm sorry, your highness, I didn't notice your authority was higher than mine!" Iggy walked through the door, and bowed.

"I am rolling my eyes, Iggy!" I stated, in a bored tone."Oh, and remember, Max has authority over you even though you're her age and live in this house along with Max, Dad, and Ella. Just reminding you… Isn't that correct, Iggy?" Got him!

"Yes, but that means I have connections with Max, since, after all, we're brother and sister now," Iggy stated, crossing his arms and leaning up against the door frame.

"Uhuh, that's true. Alas, for you, Max and Fang are my parents. I have connections a well. I talk to Dad, he goes to Max, and I, his little princess, get my way. Usually," I retorted. He gave up after that.

"Whatever." Iggy left with that.

"Dad? Can I please get out of bed? I swear, I'll stand up, I won't try to walk around. Please!" I begged. I think you can tell by now, I'm not one to beg… or listen… or obey.

"Not my decision. Ask John that. He'll be back in a minute." I slumped in my bed, waiting for John to return. No more than five minutes later, John enter and Dad left.

"John?" He 'hm'ed, looking at me. "Can I please get out of bed? Even if I don't walk around, I want to stand up. Please?" John thought for a moment.

"Fine. If you can stand up without falling, I'll allow you to walk around the room. No leaving in here, though," John said, reluctantly granting my wishes.

I ripped off the covers that were on me, and swung my legs around. John offered me his hand to help me get up, and I took it. He helped me steady myself. I stood still for a while, still holding John's hand to help, but eventually he let go of my hand. I stood still for a little while longer, until John nodded, telling me I could try to walk around. I took three steps and my right knee gave out from under me. John quickly grabbed my upper arms before I could hit the floor. "Shit!" I cursed under my breath. John picked me up to feet and brought me back to my bed. "Sorry, John. I thought my legs were okay again… I guess when that Eraser bashed in my knee a few years ago it can't go this long without being worked."

"Just don't let it again…" He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he couldn't do it. A long, not unusual silence passed for what felt like forever. I was about to try to sleep a bit, when John said, "Damn it, Alex. Be more careful. You gave me a heart attack just two days ago; you have that night terror; your leg gives out from beneath you while you're walking. What's next? Be more careful. You may feel like you're indestructable, but that doesn't mean you can't get hurt!"

I was a bit stunned by his words. He's never said anything like that to me before. What am I supposed to say? "I'm sorry, John. I'm sorry I keep getting hurt. I'm sorry you have to always worry about me." John shook his head and let it fall into his hands.

John gave a long sigh. "Don't. I was just worried, that's all. I was worried and blew up… You remember the promise I made you?"

"You mean at the school?" 


	13. Chapter 13

A/N::: Here is a shout-out to MaximumRider99. She has inspired me to post the next chapter. Please, if you want a good fanfic to read, read A New Beginning by MR99. It is truly amazing. Now, without further audeu(sp?)... the next chapter!

"Yes. The promise at the school. I swore to you I would save you, right?" John spoke softly, like he was ashamed of something. But what?

"Which you've been doing, John," I reassured. He shook his head. I tilted my head, confused on what he could possibly mean.

"No, I haven't. If I had, then you would never have hurt your knee, gotten into so much pain on that day at the school, and you wouldn't be in bed right now! Alex, do you understand what it's like to not be able to keep the one person that keeps you sane in life safe?" John's façade was contorted with pain and self-directed anger.

I slowly shook my head. "Stop feeling sorry for me. No one can kill me and they've all tried." I winked, trying to lighten the mood. "I mean, c'mon! Have you ever met someone with my chance of hell and bad luck? You want to know why you haven't? Because no one else can survive my life. John, you give me more strength than you can possibly imagine just by being at my side." John didn't say anything, just moved to sit next to me on the bed, facing me. I continued, "Seriously though-" My sentence stopped as a pair of lips were placed on mine.

They were gentle and caring. I deepened the kiss and John slightly bit my lip. A quick, soft gasp from my mouth left. I didn't want to stop the kiss, but John put his forehead on mine, getting back his breath.

"Shut up?" John said quietly. I just nodded.

"Bur not before I tell you none of this is your fault. Can't you see that? It hurts more when you blame yourself than when I'm actually hurt." He looked taken aback by the compassion and sincerity in my voice.

"Then, by all means," he paused, "let me take that pain away." John gave me a short kiss and moved back. And in that short time, I felt the cold air of my room engulf me with a startled shiver. He noticed my shiver and enveloped me in a firm, yet gently warm hug.

A gaze out of my window showed the late flurry of spring colors everywhere. The flowers bustled and popped outside where a constant breeze rustled the leaves and branches of trees swarming the house like bees with honey. "John," I whispered, "take me outside. I don't want to be in this dank room." It was almost six but the sun was setting the clouds on fire with all the beauty and peace I was missing from my life. He nodded gently.

"In a minute," he replied. I snuggled deeper into his arms, never wanting to forget the security they brought along with them.

John smelled of the oak and pine tree that surrounded the grounds we lived. Into his shirt, I mumbled softly- almost desperately, "Don't leave. Not like Fang did. I wouldn't be able to bare you gone. If for no other reason, stay for me." It came in more of a question and John held me closer, bringing one hand to my face, causing me to look up.

John gave a crooked half- smile. "I'll never leave you, baby. Not ever." His lips drew closer to mine, daring me. I closed the space with my lips and this one was more passionate, but still gentle. He, like last time, nibbled my lip, drawing the same reaction. John chuckled and did it again. "Believe me now, Alex?" I nodded and he picked me up. "Outside."

And outside we went. He sat on the porch with me curled up in his lap. The cold front that passed through the normally abnormal spring heat made me want to curl back up into John's arms in a hug. TRYING to hold back my involuntary shiver, it came harder and I shook my head.

His arms rapped around me and I noticed how strong he was. I needed this reassurance. "Promise me you won't leave, John. I need to be sure you will never leave me." I knew he never would- and I knew he knew- but I NEEDED the promise imbedded so far into my brain that even if I lost my sanity, I knew John would get it back for me. I squeezed my eyes shut as he stroked my hair.

His breath tickled my ear as he whispered, "How can I tell you how much I love you, Alex? You know I do. Do you doubt that I do, or is it you're scared to fall? Don't you think I'll catch you when you fall?" Butterflies made themselves welcome in the pit of my stomach.

"I don't know. All I know is that I don't want to lose you. But the scary part is... is that I'm petrified. I don't know what the outcome will be. You don't know what will happen to us! What if someone- like Dylan- comes along? What if you leave like Fang did but I'm not there to take you back? Or I leave and won't listen to reason?" My eyes flashed across his, an emotion boiling that I've never seen him wear before. A smirk. A chuckle. A squeeze. A long kiss. It was all slow motion.

"I'll take the chance as long as you're there too," John said in a low tone. "I'm always willing to take a jump for you. How 'bout we don't try, we don't say what if, we don't look back, we just do. All we have to do is close the door. Are you willing to, Alex? Can you leave it behind you? In the dust of the past?" I nodded and another kiss was placed. I could feel his cheeky smile against my lips and it was my turn to bite his lip.

I pulled away a bit. "I guess this means no turning back. Never have been good at regrets." I shrugged and shook my head. "Inside. I'm tired." John nodded and brought me back to bed. Within minutes I was out with my last thought of my tingling lips and the kiss in mind.

A/N::::: Well... That was interesting. I have to say, it was pretty awkward when my sister came in while writing the scene between Alex and John. Let me know if you find grammar and/or spelling mistakes. But, PLEASE, don't go grammar natzi on me. I contain my grammar-ful self, plead be polite about my mistakes. I'm just a child. 


	14. Chapter 14

The week passed with no real events. The girls were planning my party, the guys out doing guy stuff, while locked up in my room, I slept and John watched over me, barely sleeping and eating only when it was brought to us. Friday morning roles around and I woke up again to the sight of John's annoyingly cute grin.

"What'chu smilin' at bir'boy?" I asked groggily, not liking the fact I was woken up.

"Why, Alex, don't tell mentions forgotten already?" John asked. I was about ready to beat that smirk off of John's face.

I rubbed my eyes and looked at my calendar. Friday, March 14. "Our first date," I smiled. John helped me sit up.

"And..?" John's southern drawl rang out clear in that sentence. I hadn't really noticed the fact that John had the accent until now. I shrugged. "Your birthday."

"Meh." John raised an eyebrow. "I don't like my birthday. When it's about, I feel like I'm bring patronized. They're great when it's for others." John shrugged and held out his hand. I took it, confused, and he pulled me out of the bed to my feet. It was cold in my room and I shivered. He pulled me into a hug. I was in my pajamas- a spagetti strap black undershirts and black shorts. John rubbed my back as I melted into his hug. He chuckled and I looked up at him.

"You, dear Alex, have goosebumps. Can you explain that?" John asked. I shook my head and went back into his arms. Reluctantly, he pulled back. "You need to walk around."

I shook my head. "Not yet. Don't want to." My voice was muffled in his shirt. John sighed in defeat and wrapped me up in his arms. We stayed like that for what felt like forever but in reality was about five minutes. I began walking around my room with my shaky legs and they soon were feeling better. "What time is it, John?"

"Seven."

"I guess that means everyone else is awake. Can I go out of this horrid room now?" I asked, pretendedly overdramatic. He nodded and I threw open the door. "Hello, world!" I shouted as I came to the living room.

Kalley spoke first. "Oh my gosh! You're all better now, right Alex? We were so worried about you! Don't SCARE us like that, young lady! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! It's your sw-" Charles's hand was slapped over Kalley's mouth.

"You've been hanging with Nudge too much," Gabe said from where he sat.

"Happy Birthday!" Emily screamed as she ran out of her bedroom, fully dressed. I smiled and she hugged me. "You're sixteen now!"

"Yep. Sweet sixteen today, Em," I said 'cheerfully.'

Next to speak up were Iggy, Gabe, Gazzy, and Charles. They spoke in sync, praising the day. I gave them all another smile and said my thanks. "Where's Mom and Dad?" I asked to no one in particular.

"Oh, they're in their room, I think. That or they're on a reeeeaaaal long flight," Iggy implied.

I rolled my eyed. "Same with you and Aunt Ella, I presume." He blushed and shook his head profusely. "Right," I drawled. I went to where my parents, probably soundproofed, door. It took them a minute to answer the door and I made my own conclusion. Max opened the door, her face flushed.

"Hey, Alex, you're up. Fang was about to come and get you and John. Happy birthday," Max said.

I hugged her tightly. "I was just coming to see where y'all were. I wasn't sure what y'all were doing so I came to get you and Dad," I informed her. Fang popped up behind Max. He swooped beside Max to give me a hug. That's right, the emotionless stone wall has very FOND emotions of his one and only daughter. "Hiya, Daddy."

"Hey, Alex. Happy birthday." I smiled and moved a step back.

"We're waiting for the two of you and Ella to get into the living room. Iggy is making something for breakfast but won't tell me." I pursed my lips and crossed my eyes earning a grin for Fang and a laugh from Max. I walked to the living room with Max and Fang in tow.

The day went by very quickly with me anticipating the end of the day for some time alone with John. Breakfast was chocolate cake and Oreo pie, we played games, flew out for a few hours, had a party set up when I got back, and finally had lunch- a grill-out with beautifully perfect steaks, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, peas, spinach crunch, and hamburgers. Until five we all talked and reminisced. I got ready for the date, and by ready, I mean I threw on black skinny jeans, a white undershirt with a plaid grey and black button-up undone. I did my long hair in a fish tail and went into the living room.

Let the dating commence, I thought to myself at six forty-five.

Eheh... You might want to strangle me after this cliff hanger. I will try to undate soon. 


	15. Chapter 15

A/N:: Heeeey... Awkward... Anyway, so I've got probably my longest chapter so far. Tack in your mind that this was completely spur of the moment, no brainstorming. WHAT. SO. EVER! Anyways, I have to say, I'm very happy with this chapter. Please review. Tell me what you want to happen when she wakes up. Should Max step in or let it be? (Heh. I love the Beetles.) Give me your opinions. Did I rush it? Did you hate it? Did I make a mistake? Anything at all, let me know. You'll understand what I'm asking at the end of the chapter.

Yay..? Date time! Okay, let me be honest... I'm completely terrified and don't know how to deal with this emotion. I'm not sure how John got everyone away so we could leave, but he did- somehow. As we exited the door, he held out his hand for me to take. Hesitantly, I did so and he tugged me closer to him.

A while passed as we walked down the dirt path to town, when I asked John something I'd been wondering about for a while now. "John?" He raised an eyebrow allowing me to continue. "I noticed that, whenever come to wake you up in the morning, your bed is all made, but you just woke up... Where do you sleep, then?"

I wasn't sure he would answer, for he stayed quiet for a few minutes. "Usually I'm up in a tree sleeping. Sometimes, I fly to a nearby cave, or I'll crash on the floor of my room... Now that I think of it... that's a stupid plan. What of someone came up to the door to talk to me and I wasn't there? They'd probably think I had gotten taken." I nodded.

"Please be more careful, John. I'd have probably been the one whom freaked out and sent everyone out as a search party." I smiled at him and he returned it. "C'mere," I said, tugging him closer to me. "I'm cold." He put an arm around my shoulder as we walked into downtown Covington. "Where do you want to start first? Washington street?" John shrugged and I nudged him. "Well, I know just the place. How about Coffee Raine? It's a good place to start off. Then we can just wander aimlessly." He nodded and we neared Coffee Raine.

Once inside, I chose a booth in the corner of the diner and we looked for suspicious people. Old habits die hard, eh? "What do you want for your birthday?" John asked, sitting next to me in the booth.

"You," I whispered so quietly I wasn't sure I had said it at all. He kissed the top of my head.

"What?" he asked.

"I'll tell you when we go somewhere more secluded... Not as public," I promised. He nodded and looked at the menu. "You want to split a hot chocolate? Or do you want something else?" I asked.

"Hot chocolate. Want the large?" I nodded. " I'll be back in a minute." He left the booth and ordered the drink and I watched. He was in a red and black plaid shirt with a white muscle shirt beneath it and faded blue jeans with dusty brown cowboy boots. As he turned around with the hot chocolate, I smiled.

Once he was sitting down, he put the warm beverage in front of us with two straws. I drew a bit closer to him and put my head on his shoulder. "Thank you," I whispered to him. A crooked grin played at his lips. Drinking half of the hot chocolate, I offered the other half to him and he took it. Drinking it just as quickly, John threw away the styrofoam cup and got up. I followed as he left the diner.

John led me to a small park and put his arms around my waist. "Hold on," he said quietly as his wings flew out and he lifted me into the air.

"John..." I warned. "Where are you taking me?" He didn't answer me and didn't loosen his grip. We flew for a few minutes until he found a fairly small clearing in the woods and dived. "John..." I repeated. He chuckled and landed gracefully.

"Now," he said in a low tone, "what did you say you wanted for your birthday?" His arms were still around my waist and I stepped a bit closer. One of his hands came to softly caress my cheek. "Hmm?" I smiled. "No answer? Guess I'll have to get it out of you with plan B..." I rose an eyebrow, my mouth still closed. He swooped down and gave me a quick kiss. It was his turn to raise an eyebrow. I slowly shook my head and grinned at him. Again, he kissed me, but I caught him before he could pull away. My hands went around his neck.

"Why do you have to be so tall?" I asked as I pulled him into another quick kiss.

He chuckled. "I don't know. Why won't you tell me what you said?" Another swoop of a quick kiss. I wanted to just melt into his arms. "Tell me, Alex." A swift kiss.

"Fine. You asked what I wanted for my birthday... Well, I want you. Is that too much to ask for?"

I brought him down. He kissed me gently and I could taste the hot chocolate and whipped cream. John lightly bit my lip and I opened my mouth in a gasp and when I felt him grin, I closed my mouth and kissed him back. His tongue ran across my bottom lip and I gave him entrance. He explored my mouth and I whimpered. He tilted his head to deepen the kiss. Our tongues fought for dominance but he won. As he pulled away, I whimpered again.

"Well, isn't this interesting," John said quietly. "I wasn't going to get you anything but I guess you twisted my leg." I nodded and hugged him tightly not wanting to let go. He held me for a while, swaying us back and forth, that is, until he picked me up bridal style and jumped into the air. "Now, now, Alex, why would you want me for your birthday?" I shook my head and buried my face in his chest.

"Don't let me go, John," I said into his shirt. "Don't let me go."

He landed in a dark cave and kept me in his arms. "I'll never let you go, Alexandra Ride. Don't doubt me." I wanted to cry into his shirt, melt away from the rest of the world, leave us two together forever. I shook my head and he sat down with me in his lap. Slowly, he stroked my hair and it just made me want to stay in his arms more and more.

"I love you, John." A few tears left my eyes as his hand raised my head. A long gentle kiss was placed and I leaned forward, tilting my head.

When he pulled back, his eyes focused on mine and he whispered, "I love you more." He gave a peck on the lips then trailed along my jaw, down my neck, back up my neck to my earlobe and I shivered. "I'll always love you more," he said, his lips behind my ear. His breath was warm against my neck and I stopped a shiver.

John's lips came to the nape of my neck and he lightly kissed there. He feathered back to the corner of my mouth. I placed my lips on his and I wished I could stay here with him forever. The feeling that I loved him was so strong and the fact that he loved me back was like shooting me to Cloud 9. I'm not one who is big with romance but MY GOD I love him.

"Don't you think we should go back into town?" I asked after god knows how long. He looked deep into my eyes and nodded but kept me in my place on his lap.

"In a tiny bit," he said in a low tone. A very quick kiss was placed on the nape of my neck and I whimpered. "Come on," He whispered. John picked me up and flew to the park. Not letting me go, we walked past the English Tea Room, a few shops, a very good seafood restaurant, and a different diner, and I hugged him the entire time. Only a handful of people were out at whatever-time-it-is-o'clock and I was grateful. We made small talk and pointed out cars or people for a good hour and a half before I finally asked him softly, "Why haven't you put me down yet?"

"I don't want to let you go just yet, baby. I never want to let you go, but right now I really don't want to let you go," he whispered. I found we were back at the same park from before and John flew over the now-closed gate. "Wanna go down to the river over there or to the clearing."

My breath hitched as his breath brushed my neck. After a minute, I responded quietly, "River." He chuckled and walked me to water, sitting in the dry sand. I was in his lap and again I hugged him tightly. "I don't want to go home tonight," I whispered into his neck.

"Then don't," was his response. Regretting my reply, I shook my head.

"I have to," I croaked. "I don't want you to leave. What if the nightmares come back?" I could hear the fear in my voice and I could hear the child's voice, "Don't leave me," from so many years ago. I knew it was childish not to tell him about the other nightmare, but I couldn't bring myself to put it to words.

He pulled me back so he could see my face, my eyes. "What nightmare, Alex?" I squeezed my eyes and shook my head defiantly, feeling the tears stroll down my cheeks. The memories flooded as they did in my dreams.

A scream. MY scream. Ear busting screeches and no one was coming to help me. A chair- no- an electric chair- not just that- poison- seeping through my skin- pain- vivid white in my eyes- immense pain- pokes- prods- pain. I screamed and screamed and that was all I could do. I was useless. Wires and voice, all jumbled in my head, but one was vivid.

"You will never forget," it screamed at me. "Revenge will be mine and you will SUFFER for her! You, the great Alexandra Ride, Experiment 24601, Test subject 42, YOU will suffer every night! You won't forget this pain!" I cried and screamed and kicked and pulled and bit and did everything to make the needles and voices stop. Once the voice stopped talking everything stopped and it was only quiet as my black world closed around me.

The pain was there- it'll always be there. What was I supposed to do? I did all I could do- nothing. I'd be tagged as crazy. I knew that the pain in my back and the back of my brain would be there forever, nagging me on my feet, hurting as I close my eyes, and stinging as I did find sleep.

And the pain WAS still there. I came back to reality with a small shake from John. "Alex, what nightmare?" More tears and the pain came back even worse as I curled into a ball in his lap. "You need to get home." He started to get up, but I caught his arm and shook my head. John, reluctant to stay here, pulled me into him and the pain eased.

"The school," I said through tears. "I different nightmare." I gasped as another piece of my brain and spine felt as if it was exploding. "Pain," I said through clenched teeth. "Whitecoats... Voices... Vengeance... Evil voices." As I was being pulled into the memory, John put a hand on the back of my head and it lessened incredibly. "Don't leave me tonight. It hurts." John's arms were around my fetal-positioned body and I tried to unwrap myself.

"What happened," he whispered in a soft tone, "tell me. Please." Slowly, I told him and with every word, more tears fell and John held me tighter and closer.

"I wanted to tell you. I couldn't. It hurts... Hurts to remember... Remember his voice... And the pain... It's always there, reminding me that I'll never escape him..." I stopped and unfurled myself so I was hugging him tightly. He respond with re-adjusting his arms around me so that one hand rubbed between my wings, where the pain was in my spine, and on the back of my head, where it ached mercilessly. "Thank you. You took away the pain," I said into his shirt, where tears had already soaked. "Take me home. Sneak through the window in my room. Don't leave me tonight." He nodded, keeping his hands where they were as I hooked my legs around his waist.

-In Alex's Room-

I was put down in my bed and John's hands were removed from my back and head. The pain creeped back as John moved to the chair he had been in so often in the last week. Weakly, I sat up and pulled him next to me.

"Lay with me?" He nodded and laid beside me as he pulled me into him, finding where the pain was. "I love you, John. I love you so much." Tears began to fall, but I wiped them away. They kept coming and John kissed each tear that fell with love and gentleness, his lips barely touching my skin. He held me as if I were glass about to break from any sudden movement.

"I love you, Alex. I'll chase away your pain as long as you're by my side. I wouldn't be able to leave if I wanted to. You stole my heart and kept it. I love you." More tears fell and he captured them with a kiss.

I fell asleep in his arms, without pain gnawing at me, kisses lingering in my skin, and no painful memory. 


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Hey, everyone! I an so sorry it's taken me so long to update! I was dealing with five and six chores, school stress, studying, reading for my sisters and school, and trying to work on four other stories(Not including my original novels), and it's a lot to juggle. Finally, the next chapter. Thank you for baring with me!

I woke up with my eyes burning from the tears shed the previous night. I was especially warm, for whatever reason, and pried my eyes open. John. I was sleeping against John... Then I remembered WHY John was in my bed with his arms around me this Saturday morning. I wasn't sure but he looked like he was just resting, not sleeping.

"John, are you up?" I whispered. His eyes fluttered open and he gave a grin. "Hey. What are you doing awake before me?" I asked with a frown.

"It's 4 a.m. You shouldn't be up. I was just getting back to sleep, I swear. Close your eyes and fall back asleep; you need it," John said softly, his voice smooth and gentle, caressing my mind back to a state of peace.

Unfolding my wings to wrap around the two of us, I leaned into his hold. "Aren't you tired, listening to me sleep while you contemplate what a message from years past could mean? YOU need to fall asleep, then I will." He sighed and nodded. "What happens if Max finds us like this?" I asked to the darkness.

John responded with what felt like a shrug. "We burn bridges when we get to them, not when they're an hour and a half later," John said quietly. My shoulders shook as I gave a silent laugh.

Once I felt John's steady breathing, I tried to fall asleep. It wasn't hard to do this, but I was wondering what would happen if Max came by to wake me up this morning; I mean, she didn't USUALLY wake me up in a Saturday, but there's an unwanted 'what-if' with every uncertainty.

I woke up again at 5:30 on the dot and sighed. Gently, I nudged John awake. "Get up, John. I need to get up now. C'mon. Wake up, it's 5:30." He stirred but didn't open his eyes, held me closer but didn't get up. "I need to get up, John."

"Stay in bed just a bit later today, baby. For all Max knows, we were just out really late, and we were. Lay down, love." His arms pulled me back down as I lifted up in his hold.

"Another time, John, but not this morning. I'm hungry and don't want to be in bed," I whispered into his ear. "Now get up for me."

His eyes fluttered open and he grinned. "Good morning, beautiful. Why are you so eager to get up this morning at this time?"

I gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "1) Remember who has the power to push you off the bed while you're half asleep and still very tired. 2) I need to go flying this morning. I always do on weekends, stupid. You can come, too, if you don't go running off." He grinned again and let go of me. "Now, go get ready and BE QUIET. Meet me outside in two minutes, okay?" He nodded and got up. "Thank you very much."

Once he left, I let out a painful sigh. "Goddammit," I hissed rubbing the back of my head. "Ow." I winced as my finger jabbed the pained area of my skull. "Dumb ass," I cursed myself.

Dropping my hand, I went over to my chest of drawers. I pulled out one of my usual dark outfit; a deep plum purple and black jeans with black converse. Running a hand through my hair, I put it up into a long ponytail, going gown all the way to my thighs. Immediately after dropping my hands, the swing bangs fell into my face.

I climbed out the window and went to the front door. John was by my side seconds later. He was in a blue plaid shirt with torn, faded blue jeans and boots. Wordlessly, we took off into the sky. The world was windy, but the fog was heavy on this fall morning, where orange and red and brown and green hues meshed together to make a world of abstract beauty that it didn't even know it could be.

Once we were a mile or two away, I spoke. "Let's go to the cave over there." I pointed in its general direction. He nodded and flew a bit closer to my side.

"Are you alright this morning, Alex?" He looked at me with a raised eye. "I thought you said we'd be FLYING. That doesn't sound like flying to me."

I shrugged. "Plans change," I responded. We flew to the cave and landed, together, gracefully. "C'mere," I say, taking his hand in mine an pulling him farther back. "You get to sit next to me, and not say a word. Okay?" He smirked and nodded. I went to take a step forward but John pulled me back. "What are you doing?"

He says nothing. Before I can say anything else, he has me in a kiss. It was a soft kiss and I did nothing to break it. He was teasing me, I discovered as he didn't try to deepen the kiss. He went to pull back, and I let him. "I'll ask once more, John. What are you doing?"

"This" was what he managed to say as he kissed me just as gently as last time.

"Mmhmm," I drawled, pulling back. "Why is 'this' being done?" I asked as he smirked again and u had the urge to slug the look off of his face. "Well, John?"

He didn't answer for a moment. "Because... Now, you're mine. And no one else gets you."

He pulled me in for another, more passionate than the previous two. His tongue asked for entrance, but I didn't let him and he pulled back. He raised an eyebrow. I pulled him back into me and kissed him. Again, his tongue asked for entrance, but this time I let him in. John's tongue traced my teeth and I pulled us impossibly closer.

Finally, I pulled back for air. "Since when have I been yours?" I ask his as I find my breath.

"Since now," is what his response is.

He pinned me to the cave's wall and kisses made their way down my face and neck. He pulled back and I looked at him, really, really looked at him. His smell is intoxicating, his eyes awe-striking, his kiss death defying, and he was all mine. "I think you have it backwards, John. YOU are MINE. Forever and always." It was my turn to push him against the walls. I kissed his forehead, his temples and the tip of his nose, I kissed the corners of his lip, down his jaw. His rapid breath was amusing and I continued. I trailed butterfly kisses down his neck and at the nape of his neck, I kissed a bit longer, then moved on down to the curve his shoulder. I made my way back up, to the hallow of his throat, and to the other side of his neck, doing the same thing. John's breath catches as I whisper, "And I don't like to share, baby."

He shivered as I pressed my lips to the back of his ear. "Since when was I yours?" he asked, using my words.

"Since I saw you the first time in my life," I tell him. He picked me up.

"I'll consider your answer, but for now, we fly," he says, unfolding his gorgeous wings.

We flew around and messed with each other for an hour and a half, two hours, when we decided to head back.

It was 8:20 by the time we got back and everyone except Iggy, Ella, Max, and fang were up and I sighed. "Hey, y'all. Where're the parents?" I asked, casually walking through the front door. Everyone looked up from their mini-groups and shrugged. "Have y'all eaten breakfast yet..." I trailed off. "Okay, so Iggy isn't up and no one eats. Fantastic. Let me go get them." Of course I was the only one with enough guts to interrupt the parents during their "alone time."

I walked down the hall and banged on Iggy and Ella's door. "Iggy and Ella Martinez get your asses out of smooching and make the kids some breakfast!" I shouted as I heard Iggy and Ella pull away from Lord knows what. I moved down the line, satisfied, and gently knocked on max and Fang's door. "Maximum and Fang Ride your make out session has officially come to an end. Please come and take care of children," I said in a Barbie doll voice. There was no stirring. "I will rip this door off of its hinges if you do not wake up right now. You don't get to sleep in if we don't, Maxie! Same with you, Fang!" I called through the door. I finally heard the rustling of sheets as a groggy Fang said good morning to an equally groggy-sounding Max. "I truly hate to interrupt your sleep after having to be up so late with my birthday, but you both need to get up. Y'all are tired and if I knew y'all were this tired, I wouldn't have gone barging down the hall, but you two need to get up," I coaxed. And the ONLY reason I am treating my mother and father this way is because they already have so much to do for us without the lack of sleep that I hate having to wake them up like this. As they opened the door, I smiled and gave them a hug. "The two of you can go to sleep early tonight. I'll take care of the kids for y'all." They said their thanks and we walked into the kitchen together, where my eyes instantly found John's and I sat beside him at the table.

Breakfast went as usual with our eggs and toast and grits and oatmeal and bacon and sausage, y'know, the lot, and I wasn't really participating in conversation besides the spare 'yeah' or 'definitely not.'

After breakfast and my doing the dishes today, I went to find Max and Fang in their bedroom to talk. 


	17. Chapter 17

I knocked on their door and they let me in.

"Max, Fang, I need to talk to y'all..." When they didn't say anything, I continued. "I've been having less responsibilities than usual and it was concerning me. I mean, I've got a job on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays usually and I help you with paying the bills here when I get paid, but for the two months before- well, you know, I have been less busy. Sure, I'm only 16, but I can't stand not being busy; even when we're on the run, I hate just hiding out someplace. I'm taking care of the kids, finding foods, different locations, and getting settled over and over again... but I need that, y'know? My helping you out is my way of getting you two some time together and, even for a bit longer, more rest. Lord knows y'all need both." I paused.

"I've noticed something major, and it's doubtful that the others haven't either. We've gone WAY longer than usual not getting attacked, and I think they're waiting it out. They've sent their message and know where we are, what our situation is, AND that we are a HELL of a lot more vulnerable when you two, John, or I am disabled. Let's face it, you two know every state's landscape and where we've been well hidden before, John is my backbone and does a bunch of work with scouting areas, and I control the young kids, contact Dr. M when we find a small place to rent out, keep the younger kids safe when the Flock is otherwise preoccupied, and pay some of the bills for Dr. M. The Erasers are waiting us off."

They nodded. "I noticed that, too," Max chimed. "They're targeting and Fang and I are getting wary. And to refer back to the first statement, yes. Fang brought up that you shouldn't be juggling all of what you are having to. We've got you dealing with school, work, and the kids, but you don't need to be. I had to do this when I was younger than you, but I didn't have to juggle a job and school to take care of the others on top of being on the run," Max tried to sympathize.

I was officially frustrated. "Max," I emphasized, exasperated, "I've been doing this for TWO YEARS. I know how to deal with this type of thing. You didn't have to do the whole school thing, but I'M used to it! You don't realize that I know how to juggle this. Fang, smack some sense into Max while I smack it into you. If I didn't think I could handle what I'm doing, don't you think I would just tell you to let me stop? I'm not over exerting myself, I'm making sure the kids are okay, and THAT THE FLOCK GETS TIME OFF FROM RUNNING FOR THEIR LIVES! It has been over a decade since you started running from that little E-shaped house; don't you think I realize that my mother and father are dealing with not only their OWN children, but Iggy's and John and the rest of the Flock when they shouldn't HAVE to?! Don't you think I realize that Dr. M is having to pay for our bills AND HERS while we run?! Don't you think I REALIZE that I'm not the strongest or the wisest or the fastest, but I would willingly LOSE MY LIFE if it meant keeping the others safe?! I do what I do for a reason and I actually know what I'm doing."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. In a calmer voice, I pushed, "I don't need a break from my responsibilities because without out them I am useless. You two have your own powers that can keep you preoccupied. Y'all can fly for hours without a destination or a starting point and be able to love it, Kalley has her powers of invisibility and mind reading, so she doesn't have a care in the world one way or the other, Emily has building for entertainment, the boys have bombs, John has being able blend into areas and somehow never getting bored. But if you take away my responsibilities, I can't fly for hours, or be preoccupied by everyday items, or build, or hack, or run around without a care in the world; I can't even access my telepathy without absolute concentration! I can't be in total concentration because I have to be doing something. Sure, knick-nacks I can move with ease, but anything bigger than a foot by foot or over 50 pounds needs almost all of my attention. How am I supposed to do that when my problem is that I'm constantly moving?" I sighed in frustration.

***3rd Person POV***

Max waited out the rant, knowing Alex needed to get it out. Fang stayed silent the entire time, contemplating his daughter's stressing over lack of a busy schedule. Fang, being who he was and knowing everything, knew how late she and John stayed out and that John had stayed in her room. Why else would Max have not barged into Alex's room that morning? Why else would Max have not exploded and screamed at John for being in her daughter's bed? Of course, Fang reminded Max that they were her age/younger when they had slept together, AND had to bring up that they didn't even do anything. Even though the all-knowing Fang knew all of that, he had no idea that his one and only prized daughter suffered day in and day out from a cause no one except Itex knew about. John had been outside the door, listening to Alex beat herself up over not being able to do more. It killed him knowing that she over exerted herself without even knowing it. She'd wake up and he'd notice the bags forming under her eyes, but would stay quiet for her sake. Everyone did.

Having waited out her 'I'm-a-complete-waste-of-space' rant, John knocked reverently on the door.

"Come in," came Max's voice through the door.

Alex's eyes flew to him instantly from where she stared at her parents. Fang's counterpart had a light smile on her featured, in awe of how oblivious Alex was to their similarities. The same glow of the eyes fell over the women when their loves walked into the room, so hopelessly in love that they couldn't dig themselves out of it if they wanted to; the same wide smile came as fleeting as a dove on both female's faces when their 'one-and-only's demonstrated their undying love. Alex, (a secret romantic) the tomboy Avian-America, the one who will lick your ass if you so much as LOOK at a family member incorrectly, Alex, the one and only love of John's.

Fang finally spoke up from his spot next to his wife. "John, would you like to contribute to the conversation?"

John hesitated for a few moments. "Alex, you have to realize something that you never have." He paused, looking for a way to explain his next few lines. "No one else is like you. You don't see when you're working too hard and no one wants to tell you when they think you are. The others- their bodies have a more defined limit on their bodies, ones that can be spotted miles away, but you trained your brain to ignore your limits and push on. You are the only one that can live off of two hours of sleep per week, but you need to realize that there's no being yelled at for being able to admit you can't go on."

Max nodded. The teen sighed. "I know my body has limits and I know I have my body trained like that; I also know it's scary to think that you're useless unless you're doing anything."

Fang looked a Max and she nodded. "Okay," the silent man spoke up, "we'll little by little return your workload. Now, I do believe John would like to talk to you."

Alex didn't move for a second, what Fang just said still processing in her brain. "Come on, Love," he whispered into her ear, pulling her by the arm out of the room.

He actually took Alex into his room and she stared in wonder. "What's up with the lack of color?" The carpet was grey, the walls black, and the bedspread a very deep navy blue. There was a tree just outside of his window. John's closet door was ajar, so John's one and only love got a full view of his two flannel shirts, two muscle shirts, two pairs of faded, light-blue jeans with rips in them from being so warn, and a set of cowboy boots, all of this set aside from his flannel shirt, muscle shirt, jeans, and boots.

John smirked. "This is how the room came and I haven't changed it. It's not like I'm in here a lot anyways." The woman shrugged.

***Alex's POV***

"Touché. What did you need to talk about? Anything specific or did you pull me out of that room for nothing?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

He was silent for a few minutes. "Do- do you truly believe you're useless, Love?" I looked down, avoiding his gaze. I barely made my head bob. "Alex- oh God- Alex, you need to have more faith in your skills. Yes, you have to be busy, and, yes, you need more than one task to focus on, but that doesn't mean, IN ANY WAY, that you are useless. We depend on you as a wall to lean on when times get rough. Don't YOU see how badly your family needs for you to not be busy?"

He sat down on his bed and pulled me into his lap. "When Max and Fang, or any of the other Flock members are captured, who do the kids need so they can lean on you and cry? They come to you? Who do they cone to when try want to do something or go somewhere? To you. And when they're in total turmoil, who sets them aside, one by one, solving the problem individually, wanting to understand the cause? You do, Alex. While you weren't active, everyone was so down and always being set off by the tiniest things, but yesterday- they were merrier than they had been all week. Alex, you make this place alive."

I didn't know how to respond. Did I really contribute so much to helping the kids? I don't know, but if John's goal was to make me feel better, then he certainly did his job. "I- I- What- John, I don't know what to DO." I groaned out of pure frustration and ran a hand through my hair. "All I do is boss around the kids, sometimes playing with them if I'm in an exceptional mood. That's it. After that, I am useless to them, John, with nothing to do or prepare for except school or work and neither are very appealing when bored out of your mind."

He sighed in frustration. "You don't get it do you? All you see is what is in front of you, not what's behind the scenes. Every tune you're at work, one of the kids try to sneak out and see you. Every time you're up late doing school work, one of the kids try to run to your door, just so they can be near you. Your BROTHERS won't even go to your parents during an argument because they want to know who YOU think is in the wrong. Each time you have an extra shift at work, the Flock has to help Max and Fang practically pin down the girls so they won't go bursting into the restaurant you work at because they don't get to see you enough. When you go out for flights on Saturdays, what do you think the kids do anxiously for? It sure as hell isn't for you to wake up the parents; like those children would be afraid of waking up their PARENTS after facing a group of savaged Erasers." John ran a hand through his hair, debating something. "You think too lowly of yourself. What do you expect the kids did while you were bedridden and unconscious that first day? Try 'they were swarming around you like maggots to rotting flesh.' Max and Fang were in devastation when their most precious daughter was in pain. While you were sleeping, Max or Fang would come in every half hour just to make sure you weren't writhing in pain without my knowing. At midnight on Thursday, Kalley and Gabe knocked on your door to make sure I was watching over you 100%. And I quote- 'I don't want Al to be alone. Don't let her go through this alone, Johnny,' Kalley told me. Then gave piped in, 'If Alex isn't better by tomorrow, I'd be willing to infiltrate the school alone to find something to make her strong enough to be with us again. Are you sure my big sister is gonna be okay? I want to show her how much I love her when she's all better.' " I stayed quiet, letting that sink in.

Finally, I gave a somber nod. "Okay. I see your point. Let me go talk to them." He gave one, quick, sure nod and I slipped out of the room into the living room.

"Alex!" they called. Charles was the first one up, racing into a bear hug. I gave a smile and a laugh.

"Hey, buddy. How's it going. We didn't get a bunch of one-on-one for my birthday, did we?" He shook his head looking up at me. My smile grew. "Well, that just won't do, will it? How 'bout tomorrow, we go out for some brother-sister time and I get you any treats you want in town?"

His eyes looked like light bulbs. "Really?! Do you mean it?!" I laughed out a yes and he hugged me tighter. "We can go anywhere I want is what you're telling me?" he asked skeptically.

I kissed the top of his head. "No strings attached, kid. Cross my heart, tomorrow is you and me only for as long as you want- until 10 pm."

He went over to Gazzy to relay the news and Gazzy gave a big high-five before pulling Charles down into a playful head lock and nuzzled his skull with a soft fist. Next, Gabe came up to me. I realized then he was taller than me by about two inches.

"Y'know, you weren't supposed to get talker than me. Now, to glower at you, I have to tilt my head up." My younger brother gave out a strangled laugh, his smile touching his eyes with admiration. Without warning he pulled me into a firm hug, but only for a moment.

He bonked me on the head with a fist- HARD. "Don't ever do anything to scare me so much ever again. Do you understand, Alex? I was so worried about you. I mean, God, I know you want to stop being so tied up with responsibilities and all that terrible junk, but you do NOT get to leave US until we are all dead and gone."

"Yes, sir. So... How did it feel to be in charge of the kids for a week?" he gave a humorless laugh.

"NEVER. AGAIN. Are you hearing me? I never want your job ever again. Those rats over there in angel costumes are the devil disguised. What the hell do you give them to make them listen to you?"

"A piece of my authority and the promise of food."

He wrinkled his nose. "Yeah. Been there. Done that. Didn't work."

I scoffed, "Obviously. It looks like a savage beast has been livid in this room. Where were our parents when THIS happened?"

"Weeeeeeeell... Max and Fang have been out or cooped up with themselves since the... incident... happened. Emily made a party cannon and, while you and John were gone, doused the house in sparkles and glitter."

A/N: I am so sorry and have no excuse that will not sound like bullcrap. I've had exam this week and it is 10pm as of now, last week I had a family ordeal and my sister lost her iPod ages ago and still can't find it, so I am being a fabulous sister and allowing her to use mine most any time she'd like and I update through my iPod. I did my science fair project in two days(one for experiment, the other to put together the board), took the next two days to research 10 Civil War battles And put them into a PowerPoint with 'special enhancements,' then took a day to read the last 50 pages of my ELA novel, just to take two days to complete the project(one day to type up everything: setting, antagonist, protagonist, and opinion, then the next to put together the half poster board to look like a movie ad), and in class found out we would not only be uninforably presenting our projects, but being given 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place voted by the students. I got first place overall and drew/put together my poster in a matter of 45 minutes. As whoever is lovely enough to be reading this probably do bot know, I am only 12 and am limited in my time and expertise. 


	18. Chapter 18

"Aaaaaaalllleeeeeeeex!" a blurry form screamed and shut my bedroom door. Well, not screamed, more like said warily, but at whatever time it was, my hearing was piqued.

"Hey, is something wrong, kiddo?" I asked the kid who I figured was Kalley. She gave a sniffle.

"Do I get to sleep in your bed tonight? I had a really bad dream," she squeaked. "I'm too scared to go back to bed and I need to make sure nothing happens to you," she cried, coming up to weep into my now-erect form.

I smoothed my hand through her hair. "Oh, Kalley, my little girl, I'm okay now. Nothing's gonna happen to me. Here." I patted the bed next to me and held up the blanket. "I bet I'll be a lot safer if you get under these covers and cuddle with me 'till I have to go flying, huh?" She nodded and pulled into a ball, clinging to my spaghetti strap sleeping shirt. I layer back down, rubbing between her wings.

"Will you- will you sing me a lullaby. That Carry Wayward lullaby version," she choked out.

I smiled softly at her through the darkness and the time caught my eye. 2:03. "You mean Carry On My Wayward Son lullaby version. I'll sing it, but you have to go to sleep." She nodded. I sang it sweetly, softly letting the tune change into a hum as her tense body relaxed slowly. "Goodnight, my little hummingbird," I said softly as my eyes grew heavy with sleep.

I was awoken with a groan from Kalley and my eyes fluttering to the clock; 5:15. "Go back to sleep. I've got to do my rounds, okay?" She gave a fleeting nod and o slid silently out of bed. "You get to sleep in," I leaned in to whisper. "It's Sunday."

Getting changed, I put on black jeans, an Assassin's Creed black flag shirt, and red converse. I slipped out of the room with a smirk as Iggy came out of his. "Sup Blind One. Why are you up so early?"

Iggy shrugged. "I've been up for a while and Ella woke up from a nightmare 20 or so minutes ago." He sighed. "I woke up to her shaking. Will you go into the room and calm her down while I get some water for her?" I gave a consenting grunt and moved behind him to close his door. Turning on the side-table lamp, I saw what Iggy meant. She was shaking violently.

"Hey, Ella," I said, sitting next to her to wrap my arms around her. "Iggy's okay, Max is okay, Fang is okay. Whatever happened to scare you so terribly, we're all okay and no one will hurt us. We know what we're doing," I tried to comfort. Ella nodded and the shaking lessened as my grip held. "Iggy is gonna be right back. Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"Iggy... Max... Fang..." Her voice broke. "They were taken by Itex or the School or something, but when all of you got there all that was left was bloody, unidentifiable remains. Then I woke but-" She broke off into sobs, the shock wearing off. The sweet blind guy came back with the glass of water.

"Ella," he breathed, sitting the glass haphazardly on the edge of the nightstand. I moved for Iggy to take my place and he was left there, kissing Ella in a confident reassurance, lightly touching her arms, as if she were old porcelain that could break at any wrong touch.

"It's okay. We're fine. I'm not going to leave you," he repeat over and over as I closed the door.

I rubbed frustration out of my eyes. I peaked into Emily's pink room to see her softly smiling in her sleep. The smirk was put into place again by that sight. Moving on, I went to Nudge's room to see her wild bed hair and peaceful face, and to Angel's room to see a ball of blonde under the covers. I made my way down the hall to Gabe's room to see him sitting up, patting down his unruly hair.

"Mornin'," I called to him, leaning against the door post. "What'cha doin' up so early, O Blind One."

He looked in my general direction with a scrunched up face. "Since when have you done rounds on us kids?"

"Always... Or on weekends, usually. Anyways, it's only 5:45; why are you up?" He shrugged. "Let me guess, you can't get to bed, so you've been sitting here since." Gabe grinned and nodded. "Okay," I laughed. "Since you're up, do you wanna go flying with me when I'm done." He nodded and got up, while I backed out the room. "35 minutes," I said as an after thought.

I moved onto my parents' room, opening the door silently. A sweet smile slid into my face as I took in the sight of Max curled soundlessly into Fang's chest. I heard his whispered "Good morning, beautiful" in Max's ear. she stirred at his voice.

"Morninfangles," she mumbled incoherently. He gave a light smirk.

"Good morning Mommy and Daddy. Why are the two of you up so very early this SUNDAY morning?" I asked, their eyes shooting to me. My smile widened. "I didn't know you'd be up so early or I wouldn't have come to check up on you two."

"It's fine," Fang said with a lingering smirk. "Do you always do rounds on the weekends? Or were you coming to eavesdrop because you were up so early?"

I shrugged. "Meh. Only when I'm up early enough. I've only got to check up on Charles; after that, I'm going to do a few round of flying with Gabe."

Max shook her head. "Go, Alex. We'll be out 'round 10, okay?" I nodded. "Thank you, Butterfly."

"Ah ah ah! None of y'all have called me that since I was eight! Don't you start with me," I warned. "Love you," I said with a giggle. "Gotta move on. Be back by 7 at the latest?" They nodded. "Oh! And I'm having a day put with Charles when you get out of your room. That's okay, right?" Max nodded. "Thank you." I moved forward to lay a kiss on their heads. "You both look exhausted. Don't stay up so late next time you've got the night off, all right?"

They laughed and, just to prove my point, gave a sweet, gentle kiss. But that didn't last long, turning into a very heated make out session. **Fax at its finest, ladies, gents, and others.** Is it wrong that I pondered just for a second whether or not I should watch or move on? I'm sorry, but it was hilarious.

Anyways, so next I went to Gabe's room and opened the door. He was sleeping with a light snore. I gave a shake of my head and went out the front door, finding the tree outside of John's door. Surprisingly, I was not surprised that John's sleeping form was up in the tree with crossed arms and a relaxed body.

I laughed out when I saw him wiggling farther down on the branch. He woke up and I slapped a hand over my mouth, muffling the giggles. "Sorry," I managed. "Get in your bed, John. Now." He muttered incoherence and jumps down, crawling through his window into his room, collapsing on his bed. "You're out of bed at 10, okay?" He grumbled. "Bye," I drawled out. John let his hand raise and slap against the bed.

Gabe met m on the front porch and we took off together. "So," he drew out with a wiggle of the eyebrows. "You and John, eh?"

I laughed. "Shut up."

"No, seriously, what's going in between the two of you? It's more than just 'friends' now and the two of you can't ignore it. What if Mom and Dad go to question the two of you?" he asked pointedly.

"We haven't gotten that- y'know what? Why am I telling this to my little brother?" I demanded.

"Well, of course it's because you looooooooooove me!" Gabe sang. "Anyway, is there a specific destination in store?"

"Tch. No. Should there be? We fly around the perimeter, make sure nothing is off, and go back to the front porch. It has been a while since we went off and had a day. What do you do while I'm off?"

Gabe's shrug was indifferent, but his eyes gleamed with happiness. "Usually I hang out with Iggy and, when he's here, the Gasman. We build bombs and construct plans, you know, for emergencies and the lot. It's sooooo fun! I can't believer you put me in charge of explosions! This is why I have the best sister EVER! But you've got no idea! And it doesn't matter that I'm boing when I do this!" Gabe's smile was so wide it made me copy it. The enthusiasm was evident in his voice and eyes. "Like, when I short circuit the orange and yellow wires in our mini-bombs, I already know that'll set it off because the electrical charges interfere, causing the bomb powder to ignite."

I smiled even wider as we grazed over the woods a few miles away from home. "That sounds so complex. No wonder I leave it to the blind kid." He gave a snort and rolled his hazy eyes. "I'm kidding! Don't get sassy," I said at his incredulous look.

"Whatever you want, princess," he mumbled.

"Rude," I called. "Alright, we need to turn back. Rounds are done."

A/N: Okay, so how was that? Good? Bad? We got some bro-sis love and will get more next chapter. Be warned though, Erasers are coming very soon, at a time you don't suspect!

R&amp;R, please! I won't update until I get 5 more reviews. Re: at 23 reviews. 


	19. Chapter 19

Furor A/N: Welp... I've given up the thought of getting 5 reviews per chapter, so here's the next chapter!

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When Gabe and I entered the front door to see an anxious Charles bouncing on the couch, dressed for a day out. He jumps up an tackles my waist in a hug. "Hey, kid. Ready to go?"

"Yes, yes, yes! How soon can we leave?" he asked eagerly.

I laughed a bit. "Let me tell Momma and Daddy and Igs and Ella that we're leaving then we'll blow this joint. Sound good?" He nodded enthusiastically and chanted 'yeah' over and over again. I knocked on Max's bedroom door. Fang opened the door. I hugged him and glanced at Max, half asleep on the bed. "Hey, Dad. I'm gonna be heading out with Charles soon and wanted to say bye."

"Have fun," Max called, using a propped up elbow for support.

"And stay safe," Fang added. I nodded and gave him a kiss on the cheek with another tight hug, doing the same to the Invincible Max, who was barely keeping her drooping eyes open at this point.

"Y'all too. Stay safe and don't let the others leave the house without one of you adults, please?" They nodded. I smiled and left the room to head to Iggy's room. Ella answered the door, looking so much better than she did this morning. "Hey, Ella. Feeling better." she nodded and pulled me in for a hug.

"Thanks for earlier, sweetheart. Iggy nearly had a heart attack when he thought no one was going to keep me company while he got me something to drink." I smiled again.

"He look so desperate when I crossed him in the hall while I was doing rounds." I look past her shoulder to see Iggy walking up and wrapping his arms around her.

He kissed Ella's neck as she placed her arms over his on her stomach. "Is there something wrong with loving my wife?" he asked dramatically. "I call blasphemy! BLASPHEMY!" I rolled my eyes.

"I'm rolling my eyes Iggy." He stuck out his tongue at me then rested his lips against the crook of Ella's neck. "Anyways, I came over here to tell the two of you I'm taking Charles out for a trip to town and I'll probably be gone for the day."

"Alex!" an impatient Charles yelled from the living room. "Hurry! It's almost 8:30!"

"JUST A MINUTE! A-n-y-WAY! Stay safe and don't let anyone leave the house without one of you four accompanying them. I've got a bad vibe and I don't want to test my senses." they both nodded and I left with a goodbye. "JOHN, KALLEY, EMILY, GABE! I'M GOING OUT WITH CHARLES! DON'T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT A PARENT'S ACCOMPANYING YOU!" A chorus of 'yes' and 'yes'm's were thrown back.

I grabbed Charles' hand as we walked out the door. "Where do you want to go, buddy?" He was silent for a moment as we took off, pondering the decisions.

"Well, we could go over to Mandeville and hang out at the Lake Front, or we could go over to New Orleans and explore. We've only hung around the zoo and aquarium. What do you think?" he asked with a sparkle of excitement in his eyes.

I ran over options in my brain. "Hmmmm... I think... We should spend a bit past the morning at the Lake Front, then go to New Orleans for lunch and dinner. I know over a bit before one part of the shore on the Mandeville side there's a mini-water park where you can run through fountain spouts- one of my favorite parts."

"Uh huh! 'Member when Momma took me n' Emmy n' Gabe to the Front while Dad n' you n' John n' Kay out to New Orleans for a big big BIG evening u'cuz Elly and Igster wanted time alone?" I laughed a bit at his drowsy talk.

"Yeah. Still a bit tired?" He nodded sheepishly. "It's okay, the water will do a good job of waking you up. I bet you were up half the night excited over today," I challenged, changing course a few degrees, closing in on the empty shore.

"Don't tell Ella! She talked to me at, like, midnight 'cuz I was goin' all derp all over everything...and I was keeping Iggy up..." I laugh.

"Way to go, kid!" I replied sarcastically. "Alright, let's land, but be careful. The sand'll make it hard to land." He nodded and we angled for a perfect landing. He stumbled a bit while halting, but did well altogether.

"Awe, man, I messed up! How did you do that?" I ruffled his hair.

"Stick your heels in. You were counting on solid ground, but this is unleveled and moves under your feet." His eyes lit up when I ushered him closer to the water.

"We can go in!" he asked gleefully.

I nodded. " 'Course, but don't get stung by anything."

" 'Kay!"

And that's what we did all morning. We went swimming and watched as people fished, getting out only a few times to check out the mini water park. Charles made up games and we acted like pirates, stealing 'loot' from the sand. The laughter emanating from our chests was filled with love and pure joy as we teased each other about our pirate slang. I let Charles talk and talk about the bombs he made with Gabe, Iggy, and Gazzy. He told me how he thought 'Uncles Igs' was brave and funny, how he loved 'Uncle Gasbasket' for his jokes and bomb help, how 'Aunt Nudge' was cool because she gave him toys and candy, how he didn't trust 'Devil Ange' because of her betrayals years ago, how he thought 'Aunt Ellie' was amazing except 'when she scolds me for being excited about you taking me on a big girl trip,' and how he loved Mom and Dad because they were the 'bestest and most loving Mom and Dad in the world.' It was my pleasure and job to listen and agree or disagree. I told him about when he was an itty bitty baby gurgling and rolling around only a few months old.

"Okay, okay, kiddo, it's about 1:30 now. Wanna go get lunch in the big N.O.?"

"Totally! Yesyesyesyesyesyes! New Orleans, get ready!" he shouted at nothing. I pulled him in for a wet brother-sister hug. We moved into a space between two near houses and hoisted ourselves into the air with our wings. We flew across the causeway with laughs coming from either of us at random moments.

Charles was acting like a seven year old instead of nine, but I was glad for that because it meant he still had an innocence to hold onto. Our afternoon was spent eating a lot from street venders, exploring the French Quarter, looking at Graffitied walls, avoiding large crowds, and making fun of people or objects surrounding us. There were so many different weird clothing styles and hair styles and piercing styles.

"Please!" Charles begged repeatedly.

"No! You can't get a piercing. No! You can't get a tattoo. No! You are not allowed to steal clothes from Hot Topic!"

"But Iggy got an ear piercing while he was in New York and Max and the Flock stole clothes all the time at my age and Fang and Max let me get stick on tattoos! How different is a real one?!" he tried to reason.

"A) Iggy didn't get permission from Max. B) The Flock was on the run at the time with nothing. You can't compare this with that. C) Stick on tattoos are STICK ON and real ones are inked in with NEEDLES. Need I go on?" He shook his head vigorously, his eyes grown wide at the mention of needles. "Thank you... Where to next? It's almost 7pm. Wanna go home yet? We have to leave before dark, so we can go now or wait another half hour."

"Well, I'm pooped all over again and might just pass out if we do more stuff, so let's leave now." I nodded and picked him up when he stumbled and tripped over a crack.

"Yeah. We're certainly leaving now," I said with a raised eyebrow. We took off in an alley and were home in about half an hour. "Guys?" I called, entering the house. "Guys, we're back now!"

A crying Kalley, a shocked Ella, a beat up Iggy, and a limping John ran up to us, yelling about Erasers and passing out and the School. "Slow down! Tell me what happened from the top."

Iggy was he first one to be composed enough to speak understandably, even if his words were thick. "About half an hour ago Erasers attacked the house, as you predicted." My eyes widened and I bit back a gasp. "We all put up a fight, but we were outnumbered easily. They took the entire Flock except me. A-Ari was there, along with. Bunch of others. Whitecoats accompanied the Erasers, but stood to the side. Emily is passed out in your room, the only one except John's. We can't get him to come out and I can't get the lock picked. None of us can. He'll respond but won't come out." Anger lot like a fire in my chest.

"I'll get him out of his damn room. But before I do... Have you tried busting down the door?" They nodded, not to my surprise. "Well, then let's see how well this works," I muttered, signaling them to stay put as I silently walked down the hall way. Without warning, I slammed my shoulder into his door-HARD. It swung open, broken off and holding on by one hinge, to reveal a pissed-to-kingdomcome pacing. He wasn't even phased, like he was expecting it. John dint even bother to look up. My anger piqued to a dangerous level.

"What the FUCK do you think you are doing!" I yelled loudly at him. John looked up, startled to see me standing there. "Don't give me that goddamn look! The other kids and Ella and Iggy? Did you think of then while you were cooped up in here wallowing in self-pity and worry! They were scared SHITLESS and I find you IN YOUR BEDROOM PACING LIKE A FUCKING SCHOOL STUDENT THINKING UP AN ESSAY! What the hell were you THINKING? GOT YOUR ASS OUT THERE AND HELP THE FUCKING KIDS PACK UP!" I stormed out before he could get out a word and looked to the kids.

"Iggy," I called as I entered the room. He look to my general direction. "What do you think about going to get the others? Rescue mission?" He nodded. "Who?"

"You and I need to go. We need to have someone here with Ella or she has to cone with."

"Nuh uh. No way. Ella will not be put in danger. She can fight, but not hold her own against Erasers."

He nodded and thought a but more. "John has to come," he brought up, almost like an afterthought. "We should take Emily for her resoucefulness. Kalley would be good for getting Ella safe. We aren't staying ere any longer. Charles could stay for bombs and he's already exhausted..."

"Sounds good, but we need to move out ASAP and we have to have a meetup point."

"Damn," he cursed. "We can't split up. When Angel was taken, Max tried to split us up, but it only put us on even more danger. We can't risk that again. We need to bring Ella too, even if she camps out in our hideout." I nodded, hating the idea of him being right on this.

"Okay. Get the kid pack. We leave with the sun."

-:$ (3;$:)&amp;""-

A/N:::: Heeeeeeey... I know it's been a while since I've updated, but I finally got some reviews. I love critiques. R&amp;R, please. I want improvements, ideas.

PM me for one-shot or story ideas. This is going to be my only MR fanfic with OCs. I will write Fax, Eggy, Niggy, Nazzy, an others. I can do other fandoms as well. This invitation is not limited to Maximum Ride.

Thanks a bunch for baring with me. ^-^ Reviews appreciated. Will update ASAP.

Peace out,  
Fandomsrule10 


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